← Prayer Book

Evening Prayer

Thursday, December 24, 2026 • Advent, Week 3 — Thursday
Download PDF
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!
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!
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!
Psalmody
Psalm 115I Will Lift the Cup of Salvation
Ant. Behold, the Lord is coming with power; he will illuminate what is hidden in darkness.
I have believed, and so I spoke; but I was humbled exceedingly.
I said in my excess: "Every man is a liar."
What will I repay to the Lord, for all the things that he has given back to me?
I will take the cup of salvation, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
I will repay my vows to the Lord before all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his holy ones.
O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant and the son of your handmaid.
You have broken my bonds.
To you I will offer a sacrifice of praise, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
I will render my vows to the Lord, in the sight of all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem.
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. Behold, the Lord is coming with power; he will illuminate what is hidden in darkness.
Psalm 116Praise the Lord, All Nations
Ant. Behold, the Lord is coming with power; he will illuminate what is hidden in darkness.
Praise the Lord, all nations; praise him, all peoples.
For his mercy has been strengthened upon us; and the truth of the Lord remains 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. Behold, the Lord is coming with power; he will illuminate what is hidden in darkness.
New Testament Canticle
New Testament Canticle (Revelation 11:17–18; 12:10–12)
We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was; for you have taken up your great power and you have reigned.
And the nations were angry, and your wrath has come, and the time for the dead to be judged, and to give the reward to your servants the prophets.
And to the saints and to those who fear your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who corrupted the earth.
Now has arrived the salvation and the virtue and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers has been cast down, he who accused them before our God day and night.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.
And they loved not their lives, even in the face of death.
Because of this, rejoice, O heavens, and all who dwell in them.
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. 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.
Ant. The Lord will come; go out to meet him, saying: "Great is his dominion, and his peace will have no end."
Short Reading
Luke 1:28
Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.
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
God of mercy, strengthen our hope this night. When weariness or sorrow weighs us down, remind us of the joy that is coming; through 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.