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2024/12/20

St. Thomas (21 December), Fourth Sunday in Advent, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day - 2024/25

 

Saint Thomas the Apostle

21 December

The Collect

Almighty and everliving God, who for the more confirmation of the faith didst suffer thy holy Apostle Thomas to be doubtful in thy Son’s resurrection; Grant us so perfectly, and without all doubt, to believe in thy Son Jesus Christ, that our faith in thy sight may never be reproved. Hear us, O Lord, through the same Jesus Christ, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, now and for evermore. Amen. 

The Epistle: Ephesians 2.19-22

The Gospel: St. John 20.24-31 

Homily

The Fourth Sunday in Advent.

Psalm 97. Dominus regnavit.

THE Lord is King, the earth may be glad thereof; * yea, the multitude of the isles may be glad thereof.

2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: * righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his seat.

3 There shall go a fire before him, * and burn up his enemies on every side.

4 His lightnings gave shine unto the world: * the earth saw it, and was afraid.

5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the  Lord; * at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

6 The heavens have declared his righteousness, * and all the peoples have seen his glory.

7 Confounded be all they that worship carved images, and that delight in vain gods: * worship him, all ye gods.

8 Sion heard of it, and rejoiced; and the daughters of Judah were glad, * because of thy judgments, O Lord.

9 For thou, Lord, art higher than all that are in the  earth: * thou art exalted far above all gods.

10 O ye that love the Lord, see that ye hate the thing which is evil: * the Lord preserveth the souls of his saints;  he shall deliver them from the hand of the ungodly.

11 There is sprung up a light for the righteous, * and joyful gladness for such as are true-hearted.

12 Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; * and give thanks for a remembrance of his holiness.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen. 

The Collect.

The Collect from the First Sunday in Advent is to be repeated every day, with the other Collects in Advent, until Christmas-Eve: 

ALMIGHTY God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen. 

O LORD, raise up, we pray thee, thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour† us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are sore let* and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through the satisfaction of thy Son our Lord, to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and glory, world without end. Amen. 

†”Succour” – give assistance or aid

*“Let” – impede or obstruct. 


Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 40.1-11

Psalter: Morning-98, 99; Evening-101, 103

Epistle Reading: Philippians 4.4-7

Gospel Reading: St. John 1.19-28 

Homily 

The Eve of the Nativity of our Lord 
December 24

Psalm 2. Quare fremuerunt gentes?

WHY do the heathen so furiously rage together? * and why do the people imagine a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together * against the Lord, and against his Anointed:

3 Let us break their bonds asunder, * and cast away their cords from us.

4 He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn: * the Lord shall have them in derision.

5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, * and vex them in his sore displeasure:

6 Yet have I set my King * upon my holy hill of Sion.

7 I will rehearse the decree; * the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

8 Desire of me, and I shall give thee the nations for thine inheritance, * and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession.

9 Thou shalt bruise them with a rod of iron, * and break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings; * be instructed, ye that are judges of the earth.

11 Serve the Lord in fear, * and rejoice unto him with reverence.

12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and so ye perish from the right way, if his wrath be kindled, yea but a little. *  Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be : world without end. Amen.

GOD, who makest us glad with the yearly remembrance of the birth of thine only Son Jesus Christ; Grant that as we joyfully receive him for our Redeemer, so we may with sure confidence behold him when he shall come to be our Judge, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. 

Epistle Reading: Titus 2.11-15

Gospel Reading: Luke 2.1-14 

The Nativity of our Lord, or the Birth-day of Christ,

Commonly called Christmas-Day.

Magnificat.

St. Luke I.

MY soul doth magnify the Lord : and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden.

For behold, from henceforth : all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath magnified me : and holy is his Name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him : throughout all generations.

He hath showed strength with his arm : he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat : and hath exalted the humble and meek.

He hath filled the hungry with good things : and the rich he hath sent empty away.

He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel : as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

As it was in the beginning, &c. 

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us thy only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and as at this time to be born of a pure Virgin: Grant that we, being regenerate and made thy children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by thy Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen. 

Epistle Reading: Hebrews 1.1-12

Gospel Reading: St. John 1.1-14 

Homily

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