The Lectionary Calendar

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Johann Sebastian Bach, Composer, 1750

The Collect:

Rite I:
Sound out thy majesty, O God, and call us to thy work; that, like thy servant Johann Sebastian Bach, we might present our lives and our works to thy glory alone; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Rite II:
Sound out your majesty, O God, and call us to your work; that, like thy servant Johann Sebastian Bach, we might present our lives and our works to your glory alone; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Lesson: 2 Chronicles 5:11–14

11Now when the priests came out of the holy place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without regard to their divisions), 12all the levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kindred, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with one hundred and twenty priests who were trumpeters, 13it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord, and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord,
‘For he is good,
   for his steadfast love endures for ever’,
the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

Psalm: Psalm 150

1 Hallelujah!
  Praise God in his holy temple; *
       praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts; *
       praise him for his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the blast of the ram’s-horn; *
       praise him with lyre and harp.
4 Praise him with timbrel and dance; *
       praise him with strings and pipe.
5 Praise him with resounding cymbals; *
       praise him with loud-clanging cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath *
       praise the Lord.
       Hallelujah!

Gospel: Luke 2:8-14

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
14 ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
   and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

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Lectionary Calendar

The Old Testament, New Testament and Gospels readings are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Collects, Psalms, and Canticles are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.

This page is available in: Español