← 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
Wednesday, December 23, 2026 • Saint John of Kanty, Priest
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 86All Nations Will Come to God
Ant. Let justice surge like water, and goodness like an unfailing stream.
His foundations are in the holy mountains.
The Lord loves the gates of Zion, above all the tabernacles of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you, O city of God.
I will remember Rahab and Babylon who know me.
Behold, the foreigners and Tyre and the people of the Ethiopians, these were there.
A man will say, "Zion is my mother," and this one was born in her.
And the Most High himself has founded her.
The Lord will tell the glory of the scriptures and of the leaders who were born in her.
As of those who rejoice, so also will all dwell in you.
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 98Joy Before the Lord
Ant. Let justice surge like water, and goodness like an unfailing stream.
Sing to the Lord a new song, because the Lord has done wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation to himself.
The Lord has made known his salvation; in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Shout with joy to God, all the earth; sing and exult and sing psalms.
Sing to the Lord with a harp; with a harp and the voice of the psalm.
With trumpets of hammered metal and the voice of the horn of leather; shout with joy in the sight of the Lord our King.
Let the sea be moved and its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it.
The rivers will clap their hands; the mountains will exult together at the face of the Lord.
Because he comes to judge the earth; he will judge the world with justice and the peoples with equity.
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.
Old Testament Canticle
Old Testament Canticle (Isaiah 45:15–25)
Truly you are a hidden God, the God of Israel the Savior.
They are all confounded and ashamed; the makers of errors have gone in shame together.
Israel is saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation.
You will not be confounded and you will not be ashamed to all eternity.
For thus says the Lord who created the heavens, God himself who formed the earth.
He did not create it in vain; he formed it to be inhabited.
"I am the Lord, and there is no other god."
"I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth; I have not said to the seed of Jacob: 'Seek me in vain.'"
"I am the Lord who speaks justice, who declares right things."
Gather yourselves together and come; draw near together, you that are saved from the Gentiles.
They have no knowledge who carry about the wood of their graven idol and pray to a god that cannot save.
"Tell and come near; and consult together: Who has declared this from the beginning?"
"I am the Lord, and there is no other."
"By myself I have sworn; truth has gone out of my mouth, a word that will not return."
"To me every knee will bend, and every tongue will swear."
"Surely, one will say: 'In the Lord are my justices and my dominion.'"
"To him they will come, and all that fight against him will be confounded."
"In the Lord will all the seed of Israel be justified and praised."
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
Romans 13:11
Now is the moment for you to wake from sleep, for our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
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
O God, you sent John the Baptist as a voice crying in the wilderness. Grant that we, prepared by his call to repentance, may receive with joy the good news of your Son; 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.