Morning Prayer - December 1, 2025

Today's Readings

Psalm 132:1-18

Isaiah 63:7-16

Matthew 1:18-25

--Today is the Feast of Saint Joeseph--

Saint and Major Saints' Days
Their sound has gone out into all lands, and their message to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:4

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.

The Lessons

Psalm 132

⁽¹⁾ LORD, remember David And all his afflictions;⁽²⁾ How he swore to the LORD, And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:⁽³⁾ Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, Or go up to the comfort of my bed;⁽⁴⁾ I will not give sleep to my eyes Or slumber to my eyelids,

⁽⁵⁾ Until I find a place for the LORD, A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.'⁽⁶⁾ Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; We found it in the fields of the woods.⁽⁷⁾ Let us go into His tabernacle; Let us worship at His footstool.⁽⁸⁾ Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength.

⁽⁹⁾ Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your saints shout for joy.⁽¹⁰⁾ For Your servant David's sake, Do not turn away the face of Your Anointed.⁽¹¹⁾ The LORD has sworn in truth to David; He will not turn from it: 'I will set upon your throne the fruit of your body.⁽¹²⁾ If your sons will keep My covenant And My testimony which I shall teach them, Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.'

⁽¹³⁾ For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place:⁽¹⁴⁾ This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.⁽¹⁵⁾ I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her poor with bread.⁽¹⁶⁾ I will also clothe her priests with salvation, And her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

⁽¹⁷⁾ There I will make the horn of David grow; I will prepare a lamp for My Anointed.⁽¹⁸⁾ His enemies I will clothe with shame, But upon Himself His crown shall flourish.'

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 63

⁽⁷⁾ I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD And the praises of the LORD, According to all that the LORD has bestowed on us, And the great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has bestowed on them according to His mercies, According to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses.⁽⁸⁾ For He said, 'Surely they are My people, Children who will not lie.' So He became their Savior.⁽⁹⁾ In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the Angel of His Presence saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; And He bore them and carried them All the days of old.⁽¹⁰⁾ But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; So He turned Himself against them as an enemy, And He fought against them.

⁽¹¹⁾ Then he remembered the days of old, Moses and his people, saying: 'Where is He who brought them up out of the sea With the shepherd of His flock? Where is He who put His Holy Spirit within them,⁽¹²⁾ Who led them by the right hand of Moses, With His glorious arm, Dividing the water before them To make for Himself an everlasting name,⁽¹³⁾ Who led them through the deep, As a horse in the wilderness, That they might not stumble?'⁽¹⁴⁾ As a beast goes down into the valley, And the Spirit of the LORD causes him to rest, So You lead Your people, To make Yourself a glorious name.

⁽¹⁵⁾ Look down from heaven, And see from Your habitation, holy and glorious. Where are Your zeal and Your strength, The yearning of Your heart and Your mercies toward me? Are they restrained?⁽¹⁶⁾ Doubtless You are our Father, Though Abraham was ignorant of us, And Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O LORD, are our Father; Our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Matthew Chapter 1

⁽¹⁸⁾ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.⁽¹⁹⁾ Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.⁽²⁰⁾ But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.⁽²¹⁾ And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.'

⁽²²⁾ So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:⁽²³⁾ Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.'⁽²⁴⁾ Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife,⁽²⁵⁾ and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

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.

Holy Day Collect: Saint Joseph March 19
O God, who from the family of your servant David raised up Joseph to be the guardian of your incarnate Son and the spouse of his virgin mother: Give us grace to imitate his uprightness of life and his obedience to your commands; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Collect of the Day: O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Prayer for Mission: Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 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

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13:14