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
Saint Stephen’s Day (26 December).
From Psalm 34
Benedicam Domino
I WILL alway give thanks unto the Lord * his praise
shall ever be in my mouth.
The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous * and
his ears are open unto their prayers.
The countenance of the Lord is against them that do
evil * to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth them * and
delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite
heart * and will save such as be of an humble spirit.
Great are the troubles of the righteous * but the
Lord delivereth him out of all.
Glory be to the Father, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.
The Collect.
Grant,
O Lord, that in all our sufferings here upon earth for the testimony of thy
truth, we may stedfastly look up to heaven, and by faith behold the glory that
shall be revealed; and, being filled with the Holy Ghost, may learn to love and
bless our persecutors by the example of thy first Martyr Saint Stephen, who
prayed for his murderers to thee, O blessed Jesus, who standest at the right
hand of God to succour all those that suffer for thee, our only Mediator and
Advocate. Amen.
Then
shall follow the Collect of the Nativity, which shall be said continually unto
New-year’s Eve.
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: Acts (6.8-7.53) 7.54-60
Gospel
Reading: St. Matthew 23.34-39
Saint John the Evangelist’s Day (27 December).
From Psalm 37
Noli aemulari
FRET not thyself because of the ungodly * neither
be thou envious against the evil-doers.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass *
and be withered even as the green herb.
Put thou thy trust in the Lord, and be doing good *
dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
Delight thou in the Lord * and he shall give thee
thy heart’s desire.
Commit thy way unto the Lord, and put thy trust in
him * and he shall bring it to pass.
He shall make thy righteousness as clear as the
light * and thy just dealing as the noon-day.
Hold thee still in the Lord, and abide patiently
upon him * but grieve not thyself at him whose way doth prosper, against the
man that doeth after evil counsels.
Glory be to the Father, &c.
As it was in the beginning, &c.
The Collect.
MERCIFUL
Lord, we beseech thee to cast thy bright beams
of light upon thy Church, that it being enlightened by the doctrine of thy
blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint John may so walk in the light of thy
truth, that it may at length attain to the light of everlasting life; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Then
shall follow the Collect of the Nativity, which shall be said continually unto
New-year’s Eve.
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:1 John 1.1-10
Gospel
Reading: St. John 21.19-25
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