(Download PDF For Today’s Daily Prayer Guide)

Setting aside even a brief time each day to pray helps us create a stable spiritual center in our lives. This guided prayer is largely based on the Morning, Noon and Evening Prayer cycle found in the Book of Common Prayer.

++++++++++++++++++

Online Text Version

INSTRUCTIONS: The underlined text  are headings and do not need to be read. [Brackets] are instructions to be followed but not necessarily read. (Parentheses) are references and not to be read. FOR INDIVIDUAL PRAYER: I suggest you read the prayer sheet aloud, but reading silently is fine too. Don’t pay any attention to the Bold Italic Type. FOR GROUP PRAYER: have one person act as leader. The leader reads the regular print and everyone reads the Bold Italic Type together.

Daily Prayer for December 23

Opening Sentences:

God of all ages, in the birth of Christ your boundless love for your people shattered the power of darkness. Be born in us with that same love and light, that our song may blend with all the choirs of heaven and earth to the glory of your holy name. Amen..^ff

In that day, says the Lord, I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away, and those whom I have afflicted. The lame I will make the remnant, and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion now and forevermore. And you, O tower of the flock, hill of daughter Zion, to you it shall come, the former dominion shall come, the sovereignty of daughter Jerusalem.’ (Micah 4:6-8)

Praying Together:

Lord, open our lips.

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.

Confession:

Most holy One, we confess our sins to you with a heavy heart.

We know that we do not live our lives as you would have us live them.

We ignore your urging to respond to the needs of others.

Even when our eyes are opened we find our will is not up to the task.

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 on the path to eternal life. Amen.

We are assured of God’s righteousness. In confessing our sins with a humble heart, God is merciful, just and kind.

From Psalm 100:

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.

Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name.

For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

[Silent Prayer; or Music may be listened to; or a Hymn is sung.]

Prayers of the People:

Defend us, deliver us, and in thy compassion protect us, O  Lord, by thy grace.    Lord, have mercy.       [Silent Prayer] 

For the aged and infirm, for the widowed and orphans, and for the sick and the suffering, we pray to the Lord.    Lord, have mercy.   [Silent Prayer]

 For the peace of the world, for the welfare of all Churches, and for the unity of all peoples, we pray to the Lord.     Lord, have mercy.    [Silent Prayer]  

For the peace from above, for the loving-kindness of God, and for the salvation of our souls, we pray to the Lord.   Lord, have  mercy.

[Silent Prayer]

Hear us as we pray together:

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, for ever and ever. Amen.

Closing prayer:

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that your Spirit is with us always: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting.⁺⁺    Amen.

++++++++++++++++

Sources:

  ^ff From Revised Common Lectionary Prayers, Consultation on Common Texts.

⁺⁺Adapted from the prayer of A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

Image: The Visitation Brother Eric. The Visitation, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54191

Music Selection from The Hymnal Project

www.CommunityMissions.org 1570 Buffalo Ave. Niagara Falls, NY 14303  716-285-3403