25 December 2015
Collects
Prayers
developed from the daily readings
Christmas Day
Friday 25 December
2015
Morning
Prayer
Psalms
132: 10 – 18
God
indicates that if David’s offspring keep the commandments then the dynasty will
last. For God has chosen Zion as the dwelling place.
Micah
4: 1 – 8
In
the last days the mountain of God’s temple will be raised and people of all
nations will come to it. They will come to be taught. The Lord will judge
disputes and wars will cease. The need for soldiers will end and people will
sit safely in their own homes without being oppressed. The weak and the lame will
be restored and the exiles will be a nation.
Kingship
will come to the daughter of Jerusalem.
Matthew
1: 18 – 2: 6
Mary,
Jesus’s mother is engaged to Joseph but before they come together she is found
to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Joseph is righteous and does not want
Mary to be stoned so he plans to marry and divorce her quietly. But an angel comes
to him and tells him to not worry, call the child Jesus and that this baby will
save his people from their sins.
This
fulfils a prophecy. Joseph does as the angel instructs.
After
Jesus is born in Bethlehem Magi from the east come to Jerusalem searching for
the King of the Jews. Herod the Great calls the priests and teachers of the law
to identify where the child may be. They quote Micah and indicate Bethlehem in
Judah.
Collect for Morning Prayer
Madonna and Child New Norcia Benedictine Community WA L Osburn |
God of wonders, miracles, grace and love we thank you for the birth of
our saviour Jesus Christ and we pray for the coming of the time when the whole
world is able to seek your teaching, live in peace and be freed from oppression
through the kingship of Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord.
Amen.
Christmas Day
Friday 25 December 2015
Evening Prayer
Psalm
138
This is
a song of praise and deliverance and ends with the psalmist faithfully
claiming, “the Lord will fulfil his purpose for me”.
Micah
5: 2 – 5a
This
is Micah’s prophecy that from Bethlehem in Judea will come the one whose
origins are ancient and will rule. Until that time Israel will be abandoned.
This will be the shepherd of the flock and his greatness will reach to the ends
of the earth. He will be their peace.
1 John 4: 7 – 21
John entreats us to love one
another for love comes from God. God shows love to us through sending Christ,
God’s only Son that we might live through him, that Jesus has atoned for our
sins. We need to love one another and God lives in us when we love one another.
We know that we live in Jesus
since we have been given his Spirit. When we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son
of God, God lives in us and we in God.
God is love. When we come to the
judgement day there will be no fear for perfect love drives away fear. Fear has
to do with punishment. So those who fear have not been made perfect in love.
We love because God first loved
us. If we say we love God but do not love others, we are liars. Because if we
do not love those we see, how can we love God who we cannot see? We have been
given this commandment: if we love God we are to love each other.
Collect for Evening Prayer
New Dawn Broken Hill NSW L Osburn |
Generous
and Loving God through the gift of your Son and Holy Spirit you have given us
the capacity to fully love and forgive spark those fires of love within us now
and all the days of our lives so that your purpose for each and every one of us
is fulfilled through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment