Evening Prayer

Dec. 29 -  Tuesday, December 29, 2026
Yesterday December 29, 2026 Tomorrow

Today's Readings

Psalm 18:1-20
Isaiah 12:1-6
Revelation 1:1-8
John 7:37-52
--Today is the Feast of Saint Thomas Beckett--
Today is the Fifth day of Christmas
Behold, the dwelling of God is with mankind. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them, and be their God. Revelation 21:3

Saint and Major Saints' Days

We give thanks to the Father, who has made us worthy to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Colossians 1:12

Confession of Sin

Most merciful God,
I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I am truly sorry and I humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me; that I may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen


The Invitatory and Psalter
Lord, open our lips. And our mouth shall proclaim your praise
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   Alleluia


Venite
ⓘ   'Venite' is Latin for 'O Come,' the opening word of Psalm 95: Venite exultemus Domino ('O Come, let us sing to the LORD').
Psalm 95:1 to 7
Come, let us sing to the Lord;
   let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving
   and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God,
   and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the caverns of the earth,
   and the heights of the hills are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
   and his hands have molded the dry land.

Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee,
   and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
    Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!

The Antiphon:
ⓘ   A short, reflective sentence recited alongside a psalm to deepen our understanding of the readings.
Alleluia. To us a child is born: O come, let us adore him. Alleluia.

The Lessons

Psalm 18

(1) I will love You, O LORD, my strength. (2) The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (3) I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. (4) The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

(5) The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. (6) In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears. (7) Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry. (8) Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it.

(9) He bowed the heavens also, and came down With darkness under His feet. (10) And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind. (11) He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters And thick clouds of the skies. (12) From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.

(13) The LORD thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. (14) He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe, Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them. (15) Then the channels of the sea were seen, The foundations of the world were uncovered At Your rebuke, O LORD, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. (16) He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.

(17) He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me. (18) They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the LORD was my support. (19) He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me. (20) The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed 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.

Isaiah Chapter 12

(1) And in that day you will say: 'O LORD, I will praise You; Though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me. (2) Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; 'For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.' ' (3) Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation. (4) And in that day you will say: 'Praise the LORD, call upon His name; Declare His deeds among the peoples, Make mention that His name is exalted.

(5) Sing to the LORD, For He has done excellent things; This is known in all the earth. (6) Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!'

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Revelation Chapter 1

(1) The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants -- things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, (2) who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. (3) Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. (4) John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,

(5) and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, (6) and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (7) Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. (8) I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,' says the Lord, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.'

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

John Chapter 7

(37) On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. (38) He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.' (39) But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (40) Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, 'Truly this is the Prophet.'

(41) Others said, 'This is the Christ.' But some said, 'Will the Christ come out of Galilee? (42) Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?' (43) So there was a division among the people because of Him. (44) Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

(45) Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, 'Why have you not brought Him?' (46) The officers answered, 'No man ever spoke like this Man!' (47) Then the Pharisees answered them, 'Are you also deceived? (48) Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him?

(49) But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.' (50) Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, (51) Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?' (52) They answered and said to him, 'Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.'

The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.


The First Song of Isaiah       Isaiah 12:2 to 6
 
Surely, it is God who saves me;
  I will trust in him and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my stronghold
and my sure defense,
  and he will be my Savior.
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing
  from the springs of salvation.
And on that day you shall say,
  Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;
Make his deeds known among the peoples;
  see that they remember that his Name is exalted.
Sing the praises of the Lord,
for he has done great things,
  and this is known in all the world.
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy,
  for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.
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.


The Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord.
  He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
  He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
  He descended to the dead.
  On the third day he rose again.
  He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
  He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
  the holy catholic Church,
  the communion of saints,
  the forgiveness of sins,
  the resurrection of the body,
  and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Prayers


The Lord's Prayer   
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.

Suffrages
ⓘ   A simple prayer to God for help, mercy, or intercession, rooted in the Latin word for support.
Show us your mercy, O Lord;
And grant us your salvation.
Clothe your ministers with righteousness;
Let your people sing with joy.
Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;
For only in you can we live in safety.
Lord, keep this nation under your care;
And guide us in the way of justice and truth.
Let your way be known upon earth;
Your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Create in us clean hearts, O God;
And sustain us by your Holy Spirit.


Seasonal Collect:
  
The Nativity of Our Lord
O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

--or this--
O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy him perfectly in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit he lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
--or this--
Almighty God, you have given your only begotten Son to take our nature upon him, and to be born [this day] of a pure virgin: Grant that we, who have been born again and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with you and the same Spirit be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.

Collect of the Day: O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission: O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


Personal Prayers and Reflection

This is a time to pause, consider and listen. Pray for yourself and others.



Closing Prayers   

Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory, and, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

Conclude with the following
Let Us Bless the Lord, Thanks be to God

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13

Controls