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Evening Prayer

Thursday, January 8, 2026 • January 8

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

Silent Night, Holy Night

Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright.
Round yon virgin mother and child,
holy infant, so tender and mild;
sleep in heavenly peace,
sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar,
heavenly hosts sing alleluia;
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born.

Silent night, holy night!
Son of God, love's pure light
radiant beams from thy holy face,
with the dawn of redeeming grace;
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Psalmody

Psalm 72The Problem of the Wicked

Ant. Today Christ is born for us; glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.

How good is God to Israel, to those who are upright in heart.

But as for me, my feet were almost moved; my steps had nearly slipped.

For I was envious of the wicked, seeing the peace of sinners.

For there is no consideration of their death, and there is no strength in their wounds.

They are not in the labor of men, and with men they will not be scourged.

Therefore pride holds them; they are covered with their injustice and their impiety.

Their iniquity has gone forth as if from fatness; they have crossed over into the affection of the heart.

They have thought and spoken wickedness; they have spoken iniquity on high.

They set their mouth against heaven, and their tongue passed through on the earth.

Therefore my people will be converted here and full days will be found in them.

And they said: "How does God know, and is there knowledge in the Most High?"

Behold, these are sinners; and abounding in the world, they have obtained riches.

And I said: "Then without cause I have justified my heart and washed my hands among the innocent."

And I have been scourged all day long, and my punishment has been in the mornings.

If I said: "I will speak this way," behold, I would condemn the generation of your sons.

I considered this, so that I might understand; this labor is before me

until I go into the sanctuary of God and come to understand their end.

Yet truly, you have placed slippery things for them; you have cast them down, while they were raised up.

How have they been desolated in a moment? They have perished and have come to an end because of their iniquity.

As a dream of those who awake, O Lord, in your city you will reduce their image to nothing.

For my heart has been inflamed, and my reins have been changed.

And I have been reduced to nothing and I knew nothing; I have been like a beast before you.

And I have always been with you; you have held my right hand.

And in your will you have led me, and with glory you have received me.

For what do I have in heaven, and what have I desired upon the earth besides you?

My flesh and my heart have fainted away; O God of my heart, and God, my portion forever.

For behold those who set themselves apart from you will perish; you have destroyed all who fornicate away from you.

But it is good for me to adhere to God, to place my hope in the Lord God,

so that I may announce all your praises, in the gates of the daughter of Zion.

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.

Ant. Today Christ is born for us; glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.

Psalm 73A Lament Over the Destroyed Sanctuary

Ant. Today Christ is born for us; glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.

Why, O God, have you rejected us to the end? Why has the wrath of your anger fumed against the sheep of your pasture?

Remember your congregation, which you possessed from the beginning.

You redeemed the scepter of your inheritance; mount Zion, in which you have dwelt.

Lift up your hands against their pride unto the end; see what evils the enemy has done in the sanctuary.

And those who hate you have gloried in the midst of your solemnity; they set up their signs for signs.

As if in a thicket of wood with axes, they have cut down at once the carved works of it.

With axe and pick-axe they have broken it down.

They have set your sanctuary on fire; they have defiled the dwelling place of your name on the earth.

They said in their heart, the whole kindred of them together: "Let us abolish all the festivals of God from the land."

Our signs we have not seen; there is now no prophet, and he will not know us anymore.

How long, O God, will the enemy reproach? Is the adversary to provoke your name to the end?

Why do you turn your hand away, and your right hand, from the midst of your bosom, to the end?

But God is our king before ages; he has worked salvation in the midst of the earth.

You strengthened the sea by your power; you crushed the heads of the dragons in the water.

You broke the heads of the dragon; you gave him as food for the people of the Ethiopians.

You broke apart the fountain and the torrent; you dried up the rivers of Ethan.

Yours is the day, and yours is the night; you fashioned the morning light and the sun.

You made all the limits of the earth; summer and spring you formed them.

Remember this: the enemy has reproached the Lord, and a foolish people has provoked your name.

Do not give up to wild beasts the souls of those who confess to you; and do not forget the souls of your poor in the end.

Look upon your covenant; for those who are humiliated have been filled with those who are dark of the earth.

Let not the humble be turned away in shame; the poor and needy will praise your name.

Arise, O God; judge your cause; remember your reproaches, those which the foolish man utters against you all day long.

Do not forget the voices of your enemies; the pride of those who hate you ascends continually.

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.

Ant. Today Christ is born for us; glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.

New Testament Canticle

New Testament Canticle (1 Timothy 3:16)

Evidently great is the mystery of piety, which was manifested in the flesh,

which was justified in the Spirit, which appeared to angels,

which was preached among the Gentiles, which was believed in the world,

which was taken up in glory.

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.

Gospel Canticle: Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55)

The Canticle of Mary (Magnificat) (Luke 1:46–55)

Ant. Holy Mother of God, ever-virgin Mary, who have given birth to the King of kings, intercede for us.

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.

Ant. Holy Mother of God, ever-virgin Mary, who have given birth to the King of kings, intercede for us.

Short Reading

Hebrews 1:1–2

In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a Son.

Responsory

V. A holy day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.

R. For today a great light has descended upon the earth. Alleluia.

V. Sing to the Lord a new song,

R. for he has done marvelous things. Alleluia.

Evening Intercessions

As evening falls during this Christmas season, let us pray in the name of the one who was born for us, saying:

For peace in our world, that the peace proclaimed at Bethlehem may become a reality among nations: we pray to you, O Lord.

Glory to God in the highest.

For those who are isolated or forgotten at this time of year, that they may know they are not alone: we pray to you, O Lord.

Glory to God in the highest.

For children, that this season may be one of wonder, security, and love for them: we pray to you, O Lord.

Glory to God in the highest.

For all who mourn, especially those who have lost a loved one since last Christmas, that hope may comfort them: we pray to you, O Lord.

Glory to God in the highest.

For our bishop and all who lead our church, that they may reflect the light of Christ in their ministry: we pray to you, O Lord.

Glory to God in the highest.

For those who have died, that they may share in the eternal Christmas of heaven: we pray to you, O Lord.

Glory to God in the highest.

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

God our Father, you made this holy night to shine with the splendor of the true light. As we celebrate the birth of your Son, may our lives reflect his glory; 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.