Daily Anglican Prayer - Wednesday Morning - Christmas Eve – 24th December 2025

Daily Anglican Prayer - Wednesday Morning - Christmas Eve – 24th December 2025 Readings NRSV: Psalm 130; 131; 133; Isaiah 27.2-13; Luke 1.67-69. Led by Felicity Scott, an Anglican prayer minister in Queensland, Australia. The full prayer transcript is available by going to this episode on the Podcast website. https://dailyprayeranglicanprayerbookforaustralia.podbean.com Welcome to Wednesday Morning prayer celebrating Christmas eve. We proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ: GOD in his infinite mercy, forgives all sins, and through our baptism in the name of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we are given a rebirth into new life, free from the burden of all sin. ALLELUIA With faithfulness we respond to the good news: We acknowledge Christ our Saviour and accept with gratitude, that we are forgiven for all wrong doings, past and present. To honour the gift of forgiveness, we release our burden of guilt and rise up to live in the glory of God forever more. Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Blessed be God forever. Let us Pray. 1 Rejoice always pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.      Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit:  as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.    2 The Opening Canticle, A Song of God’s Grace Blessed are you,  the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: For you have blessed us in Christ Jesus with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,  You chose us to be yours in Christ, before the foundation of the world: That we should be holy and blameless before you.  In love you destined us to be your children, through Jesus Christ: according to the purpose of your will,  to the praise of your glorious grace: which you freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1.3-6   3 The Opening Prayer The night has passed and the day lies open before us;  let us pray with one heart and mind.   Silence may be kept. As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,  so may the light of your presence, O God,  set our hearts on fire with love for you;  now and for ever.  Amen.   4 The Psalms as appointed. A pause is observed after each.   Psalm reading… Psalm 130; 131; 133;     5 At the end of the (last) pause there may follow We consecrate this day to your service, O Lord; may all our thoughts, words, and actions be well-pleasing to you and serve the good of our brothers and sisters; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.   6 One or two Readings from the Bible as appointed.   1st Reading Isaiah 27.2-13 2 On that day: A pleasant vineyard—sing about it! 3 I, the LORD, am its keeper; every moment I water it. I guard it night and day so that no one can harm it; 4 I have no wrath. If it gives me thorns and briers, I will march to battle against it. I will burn it up. 5 Or else let it cling to me for protection; let it make peace with me; let it make peace with me. 6 In days to come Jacob shall take root; Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots and fill the whole world with fruit. 7 Has he struck them down as he struck down those who struck them? Or have they been killed as their killers were killed? 8 By expulsion, by exile you struggled against them; with his fierce blast he removed them in the day of the east wind. 9 Therefore by this the guilt of Jacob will be expiated, and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin: when he makes all the stones of the altars like chalkstones crushed to pieces; no sacred poles or incense altars will remain standing. 10 For the fortified city is solitary, a habitation deserted and forsaken, like the wilderness; the calves graze there; there they lie down and strip its branches. 11 When its boughs are dry, they are broken; women come and make a fire of them. For this is a people without understanding; therefore he who made them will not have compassion on them; he who formed them will show them no favor. 12 On that day the LORD will thresh from the channel of the Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you will be gathered one by one, O people of Israel. 13 And on that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain at Jerusalem. Hear the word of the LORD. Thanks be to God 2nd Reading Luke 1.67-69. 67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: 68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us; in the house of his child David,   Hear the message of Christ. Thanks be to God.     7 The Canticle, We praise you O God: we claim you as Lord. All creation thanks you: The Father everlasting. To you all angels, all the powers of heaven: The cherubim and serafim sing in endless praise: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of power and might: Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Father of majesty unbounded: Your true and only son, worthy of all praise, the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide. You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal son of the father. When you took our flesh to set us free: You humbly chose the virgin's womb. You overcame the sting of death: And opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God's right hand in glory: We believe that you will come to be our judge. Come then, God, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood: And bring us with your Saints to glory everlasting.   8 The belief and principle is said I believe in God, creator of heaven and earth, whose love and merciful forgiveness endures everlasting. I believe in Christ the saviour, whose example of love and compassion, taught us a restored way to live, in collaborative unity with all people. I believe in the Holy Spirit, whose divine guidance brings us together to be one with the Holy Trinity. Amen.   9 The Prayers Lord have mercy.  Christ have mercy.  God have mercy.      10 The Lord’s Prayer and the Collect of the Day Our Father in heaven,  hallowed be your name,  your kingdom come,  your will be done,  on earth as in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  Forgive us our sins  as we forgive those who sin against us.  Save us from the time of trial  and deliver us from evil.  For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours  now and for ever. Amen.      The Prayer of the Week Christmas eve Almighty GOD, You make us glad with the yearly expectation of the birth of your Son Jesus Christ: grant that as we joyfully receive him for our redeemer, so we may with sure confidence behold him when he shall come to be our Judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one GOD, now and forever. Amen.   11 Intercessions and Thanksgivings may be made according to local custom and need. Let us pray Traditional Christmas Eve Prayer Lord, On this holy night, we gather to celebrate the birth of your Son, Jesus Christ. As we come together with family and friends, may our hearts be filled with joy and gratitude. Thank you for the gift of salvation and the love that you have shown us through Jesus. Bless this time of fellowship and worship. Humbly, in faith we Pray – LORD hear our prayer   Family Blessing for Christmas Eve Loving God, As we gather as a family on this Christmas Eve, we thank you for the love that binds us together. Bless each member of our families and fill our homes with warmth and joy. May the spirit of Christmas bring us closer to you and to one another. We ask for your guidance and protection in the coming year. In Jesus' name, we pray. Humbly, in faith we Pray – LORD hear our prayer   A Christmas Eve Prayer to Prepare Your Heart Lord GOD, on this Christmas Eve, we pause to prepare our hearts for a most beautiful celebration: Your birth and coming to earth as our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Clear our minds so we can focus on You and the joy You bring to us through Your gift of salvation. May the same thrill and anticipation that filled Mary, the chosen mother of Jesus, consume us and draw us close to You. May our spirits cry out, “Alleluia,” with the host of angels who first delivered the good news of great joy to humble, awe-struck shepherds that night so long ago—the news that would literally one day be heard around the world. Immanuel, God with Us, Prince of Peace, the Son of God, Messiah; may You fill our senses and hearts with awe and wonder on this special Christmas Eve. May this preparation night be a holy night as we once again receive and celebrate Your great gift to us this Christmas. Humbly, in faith we Pray – LORD hear our prayer   Ordinary Wednesday prayers Lord, we give you thanks, that through your son Jesus Christ, you have shown us the way to live in your righteousness. You made us in your likeness, you gave your only son Jesus Christ who gave us forgiveness of sin, bring us together as one, different in culture but given new life in Jesus Christ. Reconciled, forgiven, sharing you with others as you have called us to do. We pray for reconciliation with you God and reconciliation with each other and ask for strength to remain in your presence in all we do. Humbly, in faith we Pray – LORD hear our prayer   Saviour God, we remember with love all those that have passed this week. We thank you for the faithfully departed and your servants in every age. We ask that our ancestors and all your saints may be brought to the joyful resurrection and the fulfilment of your glorious kingdom. Humbly, in faith we Pray – LORD hear our prayer   God of justice, we ask for your help with ending domestic violence. We ask that you shine your heavenly light to guide people to live in peace with each other and make amends, by freeing their victims of abuse. Humbly, in faith we Pray – LORD hear our prayer   Blessed God, we ask your blessing for those listed on the Anglican cycle of prayer: All Prison ministry chaplaincy teams All people joining in this prayer offering. Humbly, in faith we Pray – LORD hear our prayer     12 The Morning Collect Eternal God and Father,  by whose power we were created  and through whose love we are redeemed:  guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,  that we may give ourselves to your service,  and live this day in love to one another and to you;  through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   13 The Lord be with you. And also with you.  Let us praise the Lord.  Thanks be to God.    May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant us to live in such harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, that we may with one voice gratify our God and Father.  Amen. Romans 15.5-6   Music by Choir of St John's College, Cambridge. A reminder disclaimer to the listener. The readings in the podcast may include ancient and old-fashioned sayings and instructions that we do not in any way condone as in use or to be used in today’s modern world. The readings have not been modernised to reflect todays thinking, instead the readings remain from the old version of the NRSV bible. The podcast owners explicitly declare that each listener is responsible for their own actions in response to the bible readings and the podcast owners bare no responsibility in this sense.