Collect for the First Sunday of Christmas
Almighty God,
who wonderfully created us in your own image
and yet more wonderfully restored us
through your Son Jesus Christ:
grant that, as he came to share in our humanity,
so we may share the life of his divinity;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Isaiah 63:7-9
God’s Mercy Remembered
7  I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord,
    the praiseworthy acts of the Lord,
because of all that the Lord has done for us,
    and the great favour to the house of Israel
that he has shown them according to his mercy,
    according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
8  For he said, ‘Surely they are my people,

    children who will not deal falsely’;
and he became their saviour
9      in all their distress.
It was no messenger or angel
    but his presence that saved them;
in his love and in his pity he redeemed
Hebrews 2:10-18
10  It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing
many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through
sufferings.  11  For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one
Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and
sisters,  12  saying,
‘I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters,
    in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.’
13  And again,
‘I will put my trust in him.’
And again,
‘Here am I and the children whom God has given me.’
14  Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the
same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of
death, that is, the devil,  15  and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by
the fear of death.  16  For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the
descendants of Abraham.  17  Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters
in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service
of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.  18  Because he
himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being
tested.
Matthew 2:13-23
The Escape to Egypt
13  Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and
said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until
I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’  14  Then
Joseph [a]  got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt,  15  and
remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by
the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’
The Massacre of the Infants
16  When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, [b]  he was infuriated,
and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years
old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. [c]   17  Then
was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:
‘A voice was heard in Ramah,

    wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
    she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’
The Return from Egypt
19  When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in
Egypt and said,  20  ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel,
for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.’  21  Then Joseph [d]  got up, took the
child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.  22  But when he heard that
Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go
there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of
Galilee.  23  There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been
spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, ‘He will be called a Nazorean.’
Prayers
In the birth of His Son, Jesus, God came to dwell with us, His people. This
Christmas, as He comes to meet us, let us respond to Him in prayer.
 Infinite God, we have struggled to make our mark on this world
We confess that this has often led to trampling on others
Rushing for seats on a bus or train, pushing in front, criticising others and
complaining and judgemental: me first. Infant God teach us about the great
reversal; lead us into selflessness. Instead of always straining for success,
help us to live a different way in the simple things; courtesy, honesty, humility,
acceptance and forgiveness. Come to us Lord and hear our prayer.
 In a season where money and material things often seem to dominate, help
us to discover real treasure in the people we love, the things we already have
and in Jesus, God’s gift to each one of us. Come to us Lord and hear our
prayer.

 Joseph and Mary went up from Nazareth to the city of David called
Bethlehem. Over this season of Christmas, may our journeys lead us safely to
places of friendship and welcome and may we truly welcome all those whose
journeys bring them to our door. Come to us Lord and hear our prayer.

 There was no room for Joseph and Mary in the inn. In this season of
hospitality and welcome, may we remember that not everyone has a place to
keep warm and to be fed. Help us to act generously and lovingly to those
who have no home, now and throughout the year. Help us to be conscious of
those who are alone at this festive season, and of the frail and the sick and do

all that we can to help them And we hold before you those known to us in
particular need of our prayers this night. Come to them as to us Lord and
hear our prayer.
 In this season of peace, we celebrate those people who seek to bring peace
to your people on earth. And yet we constantly stand on the vulnerable edge
of violence and conflict in many parts of the world. We pray for the peace
negotiations between Ukraine and Russia that they may result in an end to
the fighting and a just settlement. We pray for the people of Gaza for the
rebuilding of their homeland and a permanent peace to be established there
and for thos embroiled in deadly conflict elsewhere including Sudan. May the
child in the manger be a reminder of another way to resolve differences which
does not involve fighting, bloodshed, cruelty and exploitation, which points to
a greater light, which unites all races. Come to us Lord and hear our prayer.

 The angel of the Lord stood before the shepherds and the glory of the Lord
shone around them. We give thanks that Jesus has come into the world as a
light in the darkness. We come to you afresh this Christmas, longing for a
new start and another chance. May our celebrations this Christmas, fill us
with renewed hope to sustain us in the coming year. Help us to carry the light
of Jesus to others in our community and on our journey through life. Come to
us Lord and hear our prayer.v