← Prayer Book
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
Evening Prayer
Wednesday, December 24, 2025 • Advent, Week 4 — Wednesday
Opening
O God, come to my assistance.
Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Hymn
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here,
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel!
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here,
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel!
O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel!
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel!
O come, thou Dayspring, from on high,
and cheer us by thy drawing nigh;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death's dark shadow put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel!
and cheer us by thy drawing nigh;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death's dark shadow put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to thee, O Israel!
Psalmody
Psalm 139Deliver Me From Evil Men (Part I)
Ant. Let justice surge like water, and goodness like an unfailing stream.
Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; free me from the unjust man.
Those who have devised iniquities in their heart; all day long they incited conflicts.
They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; the venom of asps is under their lips.
Guard me, O Lord, from the hand of the sinner, and free me from unjust men.
Those who have planned to supplant my steps.
The arrogant have hidden a snare for me, and they have extended cords as a trap.
Beside the path they have set a stumbling block for me.
I said to the Lord: "You are my God." Hear, O Lord, the voice of my petition.
O Lord, Lord, the power of my salvation: you cast a shadow over my head in the day of battle.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Ant. Let justice surge like water, and goodness like an unfailing stream.
Psalm 139Deliver Me From Evil Men (Part II)
Ant. Let justice surge like water, and goodness like an unfailing stream.
Do not hand me over, O Lord, to the desire of the wicked; they have conspired against me; do not abandon me, lest they prevail.
The head of their encirclement: the labor of their lips will overwhelm them.
Burning coals will fall upon them; you will cast them into the fire, into miserable ruin, and they will not endure.
A man of tongue will not be established on the earth; evil will capture the unjust man for his destruction.
I know that the Lord will effect the judgment of the poor, and the vindication of the needy.
Yet truly the just will confess to your name, and the upright will dwell with your face.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Ant. Let justice surge like water, and goodness like an unfailing stream.
New Testament Canticle
New Testament Canticle (Revelation 19:1–7)
Alleluia! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.
For his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication.
And he has avenged the blood of his servants from her hands.
Alleluia! And her smoke ascends forever and ever.
And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and adored God, seated upon the throne, saying: Amen. Alleluia.
And a voice went out from the throne, saying: "Give praise to our God, all you servants of God, and those who fear him, the small and the great."
And I heard as if a voice of a great multitude, and like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of great thunders, saying: "Alleluia! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, has reigned."
"Let us be glad and rejoice and give glory to him; for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has prepared herself."
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Gospel Canticle: Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55)
The Canticle of Mary (Magnificat) (Luke 1:46–55)
Ant. The Lord will come; go out to meet him, saying: "Great is his dominion, and his peace will have no end."
My soul magnifies the Lord.
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
Because he has regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
Because he who is powerful has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
And his mercy is from generation to generation for those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has deposed the powerful from their seat, and he has exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has received Israel, his servant, being mindful of his mercy.
As he spoke to our fathers: to Abraham and to his offspring forever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Ant. The Lord will come; go out to meet him, saying: "Great is his dominion, and his peace will have no end."
Short Reading
Isaiah 40:9–10
Cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of glad tidings. Behold, your God comes with power, his arm bringing him authority; his reward is with him, his recompense before him.
Responsory
V. Come and set us free, Lord God of power.
R. Let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.
V. Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
R. and grant us your salvation.
Evening Intercessions
As evening falls during this holy season of waiting, let us pray to the Lord who comes, saying:
For the church, that our Advent waiting may be active and hopeful, not passive or fearful: we pray to you, O Lord.
Come, Lord Jesus.
For those who hunger for justice and for peace, that the promise of your kingdom may sustain them: we pray to you, O Lord.
Come, Lord Jesus.
For the sick and those who care for them, that the healing touch of Christ may be near: we pray to you, O Lord.
Come, Lord Jesus.
For all who will travel during this season, that they may journey safely: we pray to you, O Lord.
Come, Lord Jesus.
For those who have died, especially those we remember in our hearts this evening, that they may share in the joy of the Lord's coming: we pray to you, O Lord.
Come, Lord Jesus.
For our parish community, that our Advent journey together may prepare us well for the joy of Christmas: we pray to you, O Lord.
Come, Lord Jesus.
The Lord's Prayer
Let us pray as the Lord himself has taught us:
Our Father, who art in heaven,hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
Concluding Prayer
Lord, prepare our hearts for the great gift of Christmas. As we grow closer to that holy day, increase in us the spirit of expectation and the readiness to receive your Son with joy; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Marian Antiphon
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Loving Mother of the Redeemer, gate of heaven, star of the sea, assist your people who have fallen, yet strive to rise again. To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator, yet remained a virgin after as before. You who received Gabriel's joyful greeting, have pity on us poor sinners.
Dismissal
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
May almighty God bless us: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.