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Morning Prayer

Saturday, December 26, 2026 • Saint Stephen, the First Martyr

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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

O Come, All Faithful

O come, all faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord;
born this happy morning, O come and adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

God of God, Light of Light,
he abhors not the Virgin's womb;
very God, begotten not created:
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
sing, all you citizens of heaven above;
glory to God in the highest:
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given;
word of the Father, now in flesh appearing:
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Psalmody

Psalm 119Grant Me Understanding (Gimel)

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

Repay your servant; enliven me and I will keep your words.

Remove the veil from my eyes, and I will consider the wonders of your law.

I am a newcomer on the earth; do not hide your commandments from me.

My soul has longed to desire your justifications at all times.

You have rebuked the arrogant; those who decline from your commandments are cursed.

Remove from me reproach and contempt, for I have sought your testimonies.

For leaders were seated and spoke against me, but your servant was meditating on your justifications.

For your testimony is my meditation and your justifications are my counsel.

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 121I Rejoiced When They Said to Me

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

I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: "We will go into the house of the Lord."

Our feet were standing in your courts, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem, which is built as a city, which is compact together.

For there the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord; the testimony of Israel, to praise the name of the Lord.

For there the thrones have sat in judgment, the thrones over the house of David.

Ask for the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem, and abundance for those who love you.

Let peace be in your strength, and abundance in your towers.

For the sake of my brethren and my neighbors, I spoke peace about you.

Because of the house of the Lord our God, I sought good things for 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.

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

Old Testament Canticle

Old Testament Canticle (Baruch 1:15; 2:11–16)

Justice is with the Lord our God; but to us confusion of face this day.

And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand and with signs and with wonders, and with great power and with a stretched out arm.

And you have made yourself a name as at this day.

We have sinned, we have done wickedly, O Lord our God, against all your ordinances.

Let your indignation be turned away from us, for we are left a few among the nations where you have scattered us.

Hear, O Lord, our prayers and our petitions, and deliver us for your own sake.

And grant that we may find favor in the sight of those who have led us away,

that all the earth may know that you are the Lord our God, and that your name has been called upon Israel and upon his posterity.

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: Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79)

The Canticle of Zechariah (Benedictus) (Luke 1:68–79)

Ant. Today Christ is born; today the Savior has appeared; today the angels are singing on earth.

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.

Ant. Today Christ is born; today the Savior has appeared; today the angels are singing on earth.

Short Reading

Colossians 1:15

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

Responsory

V. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,

R. and we have seen his glory.

V. Full of grace and truth,

R. we have seen his glory.

Intercessions

Rejoicing in the birth of Christ our Savior, let us offer our prayers, saying:

For peace in the world, that the Prince of Peace may reign in every heart and in every nation: we pray to you, O Lord.

Glory to God in the highest.

For children and families, especially those experiencing poverty, that they may know the warmth and security that the Holy Family sought: we pray to you, O Lord.

Glory to God in the highest.

For refugees and those far from home, that they may find welcome and shelter: we pray to you, O Lord.

Glory to God in the highest.

For our parish and our bishop, that the joy of Christmas may deepen our life together in faith: we pray to you, O Lord.

Glory to God in the highest.

For those for whom Christmas is a time of grief or loneliness, that your comfort may surround them: we pray to you, O Lord.

Glory to God in the highest.

For a spirit of generosity in this season, that we may share our gifts as God has shared the greatest gift: 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

Almighty God, you have given your only Son to take our nature upon him and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin. Grant that we, being regenerate and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; 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.