← 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.
Morning Prayer
Friday, December 18, 2026 • Advent, Week 2 — Friday
Opening
Lord, open my lips.
And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
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
Creator of the Stars of Night
Creator of the stars of night,
your people's everlasting light,
O Christ, Redeemer, save us all,
and hear your servants when they call.
your people's everlasting light,
O Christ, Redeemer, save us all,
and hear your servants when they call.
When this old world drew on toward night,
you came; but not in splendor bright,
not as a monarch but the child
of Mary, blameless mother mild.
you came; but not in splendor bright,
not as a monarch but the child
of Mary, blameless mother mild.
At your great name, O Jesus, now
all knees must bend, all hearts must bow,
and things in heaven and earth shall own
that you are Lord and King alone.
all knees must bend, all hearts must bow,
and things in heaven and earth shall own
that you are Lord and King alone.
To God the Father, God the Son,
and God the Spirit, Three in One,
laud, honor, might, and glory be
from age to age eternally.
and God the Spirit, Three in One,
laud, honor, might, and glory be
from age to age eternally.
Psalmody
Psalm 51Have Mercy on Me, O God
Ant. Come, Lord Jesus, for whom we long; fill your people with your blessing.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your great mercy.
And according to the multitude of your compassions, wipe away my iniquity.
Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.
Against you alone have I sinned, and I have done evil before you.
And so you are justified in your words, and you will prevail when you are judged.
For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sin my mother conceived me.
For behold, you have loved truth; the unknown and secret things of your wisdom you have made clear to me.
You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; you will wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow.
To my hearing you will give joy and gladness, and the humbled bones will rejoice.
Turn your face away from my sins, and wipe away all my iniquities.
Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit within my inmost being.
Cast me not away from your face, and take not your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and strengthen me with a princely spirit.
I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will be converted to you.
Rescue me from blood, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will extol your justice.
O Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth will proclaim your praise.
For if you had wanted sacrifice, I would certainly have given it; but with burnt offerings you will not be delighted.
A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; a contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not despise.
Deal kindly, O Lord, in your good will with Zion, so that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.
Then you will accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and burnt offerings; then they will lay calves upon your altar.
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. Come, Lord Jesus, for whom we long; fill your people with your blessing.
Psalm 147Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem (Part I)
Ant. Come, Lord Jesus, for whom we long; fill your people with your blessing.
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your sons within you.
Who places your border as peace, and satisfies you with the fat of the grain.
Who sends his speech to the earth; his word runs swiftly.
Who gives snow like wool, scatters mist like ashes.
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. Come, Lord Jesus, for whom we long; fill your people with your blessing.
Old Testament Canticle
Old Testament Canticle (Isaiah 61:10 — 62:5)
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soul will be joyful in my God.
For he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; and with the robe of justice he has covered me.
As a bridegroom adorned with a crown, and as a bride adorned with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its bud and as the garden causes its seed to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause justice and praise to spring up in the sight of all the nations.
For Zion's sake I will not be silent, and for the sake of Jerusalem I will not rest.
Until her just one goes forth as brightness, and her Savior is lit as a lamp.
And the nations will see your just one, and all kings will see your glorious one.
And you will be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will name.
And you will be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
You will no more be called "Forsaken," and your land will no more be called "Desolate."
But you will be called "My Pleasure in Her," and your land, "The Inhabited."
For the Lord has been well pleased with you; and your land will be inhabited.
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: Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79)
The Canticle of Zechariah (Benedictus) (Luke 1:68–79)
Ant. Come, Lord, and do not delay; forgive the sins of your people.
Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and accomplished the redemption of his people.
And he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David his servant.
As he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets, those who have been from the beginning:
Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
To show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, that he would grant to us,
that being freed from the hand of our enemies, we might serve him without fear,
in holiness and justice before him, throughout all our days.
And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his ways.
To give knowledge of salvation to his people, for the remission of their sins,
through the compassionate mercy of our God, by which the Rising Sun has visited us from on high,
to illuminate those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet in the way of peace.
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. Come, Lord, and do not delay; forgive the sins of your people.
Short Reading
Philippians 4:4–5
Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near.
Responsory
V. Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay.
R. Come, Lord Jesus, do not delay.
V. Give new courage to your people,
R. who trust in your word.
Intercessions
As we wait for the coming of our Lord, let us pray with longing hearts, saying:
For the whole church, that it may be a community of watchful hope, living in expectation of your return: we pray to you, O Lord.
Come, Lord Jesus.
For those who do not yet know you, that the light of your gospel may dawn in their hearts: we pray to you, O Lord.
Come, Lord Jesus.
For all who are burdened by sorrow, that Advent hope may sustain them: we pray to you, O Lord.
Come, Lord Jesus.
For a spirit of generosity in this season, that the poor may experience the justice of your coming kingdom: we pray to you, O Lord.
Come, Lord Jesus.
For our parish community, that we may prepare together with prayer and love for the mystery of Christmas: we pray to you, O Lord.
Come, Lord Jesus.
For ourselves, that we may make room in our hearts for the Christ who comes: 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, enlighten our darkness with the light that is coming. Make us people of hope who share with others the good news of salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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.