Christmas Eve 2025

Readings | taken from John 1, Luke 2 and Matthew 2

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

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In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

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After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

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The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Response

Tonight we remember that God chose to be with us, but the truth is that we do not always choose to be with God, and so as we gather around the manger, I invite you to make that choice, to present yourself fully before God.

You do not have to bring your best self, only your truest self. If you have questions, ask them. If you have tears, cry them. If you have fears, release them.

We will sit in quiet for a few moments, then I will lead us in a prayer of examen based on the Christmas story.

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Try to see the day as the newborn Jesus. What has seemed fresh and exciting, strange or confusing? Sit for a moment with those feelings.

Imagine Mary cradling her baby. Where did you feel God’s presence wrapped around you? Open yourself to experience God’s love and peace.

Remember that there was no guest room for this new family. Where did you see a need and how did you respond? Seek forgiveness for the times you turned away and grace to be as generous as you are able.

Think of the shepherds hurrying to the manger. When have you sought God or run towards hope? Ask yourself how you might do those things tomorrow.

Recall the gifts brought by the magi. What did you recognise as gifts today? Give thanks for those things.

Think about what you are hopeful for this Christmas. How might you be hope for someone else? Ask God to bless you and to be with you today and every day.

Prayer

Antiphons are short chants used in liturgical worship. The set of antiphons known as the ‘Great Advent Antiphons’ or the ‘O Antiphons’ is traditionally used before the Magnificat canticle during evening prayer in the week leading up to Christmas Eve. Tonight I offer them together with a series of readings from the prophet Isaiah, to help us reflect on who it is we are welcoming into the world on this holy night.

Isaiah 11:2-3 | The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord — and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.

O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,

reaching from one end to the other mightily,

and sweetly ordering all things:

Come and teach us the way of prudence. 

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Isaiah 43:1-2 | But now, thus says the Lord...“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.

O Adonai, and leader of the House of Israel,

who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush

and gave him the law on Sinai:

Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm. 

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Isaiah 11:6-10 | The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them...They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.

O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples;

before you kings will shut their mouths,

to you the nations will make their prayer:

Come and deliver us, and delay no longer. 

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Isaiah 42:6-7 | I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;

you open and no one can shut;

you shut and no one can open:

Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,

those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death. 

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Isaiah 60:1-3 | Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

O Morning Star,

splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:

Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death. 

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Isaiah 28:16 | So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.”

O King of the nations, and their desire,

the cornerstone making both one:

Come and save the human race,

which you fashioned from clay.  

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Isaiah 7:14 | Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

O Emmanuel, our King and our lawgiver,

the hope of the nations and their Saviour.

Communion

It may seem strange or even morbid to commemorate Christ's death on the night we celebrate his birth, but Jesus lived and died and lives again, and the story only makes sense when we hold it all together. 

The baby in the manger grew to be a man who said and did wonderful things. He spoke of love and justice. He healed the sick and embraced the outcast. He challenged prejudice and broke down barriers. Many believed he was the way and the truth and the life, but others feared the upside down kingdom he preached, and so they killed him.

But three days later, he walked out of the grave, so that we might know that joy and peace and hope and love will always have the final word, and there is eternal life waiting for those foolish enough to believe in it.

We remember Christ like this because on the night before he was killed, he shared a meal with his friends. He took bread and he gave thanks and he gave it to them, saying “this is my body which is given for you”. And then he took a cup of wine and he gave thanks and he gave it to them, saying “this is my blood which is given for you”.

And so in these symbols of broken bread and wine outpoured, and in this gathering around the table, we remember the fullness of Christ’s life and death and resurrection, the story that began with a silent night and a borrowed manger.

Tonight, heaven and earth meet. Tonight, a crowded home becomes holy ground. Tonight, strangers gather as family. And so we come here to Christ’s table, the beloved of God.

If you have been here often, if the memory of this table stretched back through all your Christmases, you are welcome. If you have been here rarely, if this sharing of bread and wine is strange to you, you are welcome. If you have much faith or if you have little, or if you wouldn’t know where to begin even if you wanted to believe, you are welcome. Christ welcomes you to this table, and that is all you need to know.

We have gathered at Christ’s manger and at Christ’s table, and now may we go from here with all the joy and wonder of this holy night.