THE HOLY EUCHARIST - December 27, 2020
THE ORDER FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF
THE LORD’S SUPPER
or
HOLY COMMUNION,
COMMONLY CALLED
THE HOLY EUCHARIST
THE ACCLAMATION
The People standing, the Celebrant says this or a seasonal greeting (pages 145-146)
For unto us a child is born.
People Unto us a son is given
THE COLLECT FOR PURITY
The Celebrant prays (and the People may be invited to join)
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
Then follows the Summary of the Law, or The Decalogue (page 100).
Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ says:
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.
MATTHEW 22:37-40T
THE KYRIE
The Celebrant and People pray
Lord, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy. Kyrie eleison.
Christ, have mercy upon us. or Christ, have mercy. or Christe eleison.
Lord, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy. Kyrie eleison.
or this
THE TRISAGION
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
THE GLORIA IN EXCELSIS
The Gloria or some other song of praise may be sung or said, all standing. It is appropriate to omit the song of praise during penitential seasons and days appointed for fasting.
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
The Celebrant says to the People
The Lord be with you.
People And with your spirit.
Officiant Let us pray.
Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, kindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
People Amen
THE LESSONS
One or more Lessons, as appointed, are read, the Reader first saying
A Reading from Isaiah 61-10-62:5
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.
62:1 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch. 2 The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. 3 You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 4 You shall no more be termed Forsaken,[a] and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,[b] but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,[c] and your land Married;[d] for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. 5 For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
PSALM 147:12-20
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; *
praise your God, O Zion.
13 For he has made strong the bars of your gates *
and has blessed your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders *
and fills you with the finest of wheat.
15 He sends forth his commandment upon the earth, *
and his word runs very swiftly
16 He gives snow like wool *
and scatters the white frost like ashes.
17 He casts forth his ice like crumbs; *
who is able to abide his frost?
18 He sends out his word and melts them; *
he blows with his wind, and the waters flow.
19 He declares his word unto Jacob, *
his statutes and ordinances unto Israel.
20 He has not dealt so with other nations; *
neither have they knowledge of his laws. Praise the Lord.
A Reading from Galatians 3:23-4:7
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave[a] nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.
4 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave,[b] though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles[c] of the world.4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
The Word of the Lord.
People Thanks be to God.
All standing, the Deacon or Priest reads the Gospel, first saying
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint John 1:1-18
People Glory to you, Lord Christ.
The Word Became Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life,[a] and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own,[b] and his own people[c] did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son[d] from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.[e] 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God,[f] who is at the Father's side,[g] he has made him known.
The Gospel of the Lord.
People Praise to you, Lord Christ.
THE SERMON
THE NICENE CREED
On Sundays, other Major Feast Days, and other times as appointed, all stand to recite the Nicene Creed, the Celebrant first saying
Let us confess our faith in the words of the Nicene Creed:
Celebrant and People
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.