Liturgy for Holy Eucharist
Participation in the presence of Christ
December 24, 2025
Christmas Eve
Welcome & Breath Prayer
Acclamation
Our King and Savior now draws near,
O come, let us adore him!
(Some cross themselves as a way of praying with their bodies.)
The Collect for Purity
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you, no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Summary of the Law
Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ says:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind. This is the first and most important commandment. And the second is like it. ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ Everything that is written in the Law and the Prophets is based on these two commandments. (Matthew 22:37–40)
O Come, all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem
Come and behold Him
Born the King of angels
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
Sing, choirs of angels
Sing in exultation
Oh sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;
Glory to God
Glory in the highest
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
O come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord
Yea Lord, we greet Thee
Born this happy morning
Oh Jesus to Thee be all glory given
Word of the Father
Now in flesh appearing
O come, let us adore him
O come, let us adore him
O Come, let us adore him
Christ the Lord
The Collect of the Day
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Let us pray:
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.
(A collect is a prayer meant to gather the intentions of the people and to be prayed together. Each week, the same collects are prayed by Christians all over the world.)
The Lessons
First Reading
A reading from Isaiah 9:2–7:
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied exultation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For all the boots of the tramping warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders,
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Great will be his authority,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
We will read Psalm 96 responsively. I will read the first line up to the break. Together we will read the second line to the end of the verse.
O sing to the Lord a new song; //
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord; bless his name; //
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations, //
his marvelous works among all the peoples.
For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; //
he is to be revered above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols, //
but the Lord made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are before him; //
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, //
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; //
bring an offering, and come into his courts.
Worship the Lord in holy splendor; //
tremble before him, all the earth.
Say among the nations, “The Lord is king! //
The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.
He will judge the peoples with equity.”
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; //
let the sea roar and all that fills it;
let the field exult and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy //
before the Lord, for he is coming,
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness //
and the peoples with his truth.
Second Reading
A reading from Titus 2:11–14:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Gospel Reading
The holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke 2:1–14:
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room.
Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
(Some cross their foreheads, lips, and heart as a way to pray that the gospel would always be in their heads, on their lips, and in their hearts.)
Reflection on God’s Word
Song // O Holy Night
O holy night!
The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth;
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;
Fall on your knees,
Oh, hear the angels voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace;
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name;
Christ is the Lord,
Let ever, ever praise we
His power and glory evermore proclaim!
Fall on your knees,
Oh, hear the angels voices!
Noel, noel, O night, when Christ was born
O night divine, O night, O night divine
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, visible and invisible.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God, begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,
was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
(This has been the summation of the Christian faith since 325 A.D.)