Evening Prayer: Thursday 25 December 2025
This is the new revised order for Daily Prayer authorised for experimental use. You can find the 2006 Revised version here.
CHRISTMAS DAY
Christmas and Epiphany
O God make speed to save us;
O Lord make haste to help us.
Glory to God, Source of all Being, Eternal Word, and Holy Spirit;*
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever.
Amen.
PSALMODY
Antiphon: Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, as we have put our trust in you.
(Psalm 33.22)
Opening (from Psalm 33)
on those who wait upon your love.
2. To pluck their lives from death, *
and to feed them in time of famine.
3. Our soul waits for the Lord *
who is our help and our shield.
4. Indeed, our heart rejoices in God *
in whose holy name we put our trust.
Glory ...
or a suitable Hymn
you have restored the good fortune of Jacob.
2. You have forgiven all the iniquity of your people *
and blotted out all their sins.
3. You have withdrawn all your fury *
and turned yourself from your wrathful indignation.
4. Restore us then, O God our Saviour; *
let your anger depart from us.
5. Will you be displeased with us for ever? *
Will you prolong your anger from age to age?
6. Will you not give us life again, *
that your people may rejoice in you?
7. Show us your mercy, O Lord, *
and grant us your salvation.
8. I will listen to what you, Lord God, are saying, *
for you are speaking peace to your faithful people and to those who turn their hearts to you.
9. Truly, your salvation is very near to those who fear you, *
that your glory may dwell in our land.
10. Mercy and truth have met together; *
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11. Truth shall spring up from the earth, *
and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12. Lord, you will indeed grant prosperity, *
and our land will yield its increase.
13. Righteousness shall go before you, *
and peace shall be a pathway for your feet.
Glory …
Psalm 110
until I make your enemies your footstool”
2. The Lord will send the sceptre of your power out of Zion, *
saying, ”Rule over your enemies round about you.
3. Royal state has been yours from the day of your birth, *
in the beauty of holiness have I begotten you, like dew from the womb of the morning.”
4. The Lord has sworn and will not recant: *
”You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”
5. The Lord who is at your side will smite rulers in the day of wrath; *
and will rule over the nations.
6. The Lord will heap high the corpses, *
smashing heads over the wide earth.
7. The king will drink from the brook beside the road, *
therefore he will lift high his head.
Conclusion
Philippians 2
1. Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus:*
the divine nature was his from the first:
2. Yet he did not grasp at equality with God;*
he emptied himself and became like a slave.
3. Taking the nature of man he was revealed in human form;*
he humbled himself and became obedient even to death, death on a cross.
4. Therefore God has raised him on high,*
and has given him a name above every other name;
5. So that in the name of Jesus every knee shall bow,*
in heaven, on earth, and in the depths;
6. And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord;*
to the glory of God the Father.
Glory …
Antiphon: Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, as we have put our trust in you.
READING(S)
John 3:31-36
Silence
Response (Psalm 89.27)
I will make the son of David my firstborn.
I will make the son of David my firstborn.
Higher than the rulers of the earth.
My firstborn.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
I will make the son of David my firstborn.
SONG OF MARY
Song of Mary Antiphon: To us is born this day a Saviour,* Christ the Lord. (Luke 2.11)
1 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,*my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;
2 for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant;*
from this day all generations will call me blessed.
3 The Almighty has done great things for me*
and holy is his name.
4 He has mercy on those who fear him*
in every generation.
5 He has shown the strength of his arm;*
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
6 He has cast down the mighty from their thrones*
and has lifted up the lowly.
7 He has filled the hungry with good things,*
and the rich he has sent away empty.
8 He has come to the help of his servant Israel,*
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
9 the promise he made to our forebears,*
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father... (may be said by all)
Song of Mary Antiphon: To us is born this day a Saviour,* Christ the Lord. (Luke 2.11)
PRAYERS
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Do not bring us to the time of trial,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Collect of the Day
O God, who wonderfully created
and yet more wonderfully restored
the dignity of our human nature:
grant that we may share in the divinity of Christ,
who humbled himself to share in our humanity;
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end.
Amen
Lord God almighty, come and dispel the darkness from our hearts, that in the radiance of your brightness we may know you, the only unfading light, glorious in all eternity.
Amen.
Let us bless the Lord:
Thanks be to God!
The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing:
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
