Introductory Rite:
God, come to my assistance R/ Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
R/ as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king to own Him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.
Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
PSALMODY
Antiphon 1:Yours is more than mortal beauty; every word you speak is full of grace.
My heart overflows with noble words.
To the king I must speak the song I have made,
my tongue as nimble as the pen of a scribe.
You are the fairest of the children of men
and graciousness is poured upon your lips:
because God has blessed you for evermore.
O mighty one, gird your sword upon your thigh;
in splendor and state, ride on in triumph
for the cause of truth and goodness and right.
Take aim with your bow in your dread right hand.
Your arrows are sharp, peoples fall beneath you.
The foes of the king fall down and lose heart.
Your throne, O God, shall endure for ever.
A scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom.
Your love is for justice; your hatred for evil.
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness above other kings:
your robes are fragrant with aloes and myrrh.
From the ivory palace you are greeted with music.
The daughters of kings are among your loved ones.
On your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir. Glory…
Antiphon 1:Yours is more than mortal beauty; every word you speak is full of grace..
Antiphon 2 The bridegroom is here; go out and welcome him.
Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words:
forget your own people and your father’s house.
So will the king desire your beauty:
He is your lord, pay homage to him.
And the people of Tyre shall come with gifts,
the richest of the people shall seek your favor.
The daughter of the king is clothed with splendor,
her robes embroidered with pearls set in gold.
She is led to the king with her maiden companions.
They are escorted amid gladness and joy;
they pass within the palace of the king.
Sons shall be yours in place of your fathers:
you will make them rulers over all the earth.
May this song make your name for ever remembered.
May the peoples praise you from age to age. Glory…
When you took on flesh, Lord Jesus, you made a marriage of mankind with God. Help us to be faithful to your word and endure our exile bravely, until we are called to the heavenly marriage feast, to which the Virgin Mary, exemplar of your Church, has preceded us.
Antiphon 2 The bridegroom is here; go out and welcome him.
.Antiphon 3 God planned in the fullness of time to restore all things in Christ.
Praised be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has bestowed on us in Christ
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.
God chose us in him
before the world began
to be holy
and blameless in his sight,
to be full of love.
He predestined us
to be his adopted sons through Jesus Christ,
such was his will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor
he has bestowed on us in his beloved.
In him and through his blood,we have been redeemed,
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous
is God’s favor to us.
God has given us the wisdom
to understand fully the mystery,
the plan he was pleased
to decree in Christ.
A plan to be carried out
in Christ, in the fullness of time,
to bring all things into one in him,
in the heavens and on earth. Glory…
Antiphon 3 God planned in the fullness of time to restore all things in Christ.
READING 2 Peter 1:3-4
The divine power of Christ has bestowed on us everything that makes for life and devotion, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and power. Through these, he has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.
RESPONSORY
All peoples will be blessed in him, men and women of every race.
– All peoples will be blessed in him, men and women of every race.
All nations will acclaim his glory.
– Men and women of every race.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
– All peoples will be blessed in him, men and women of every race.
MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: When they saw the star, the Magi were filled with great joy; entering the house, they offer their gifts to the Lord: gold, frankincense and myrrh.
(Tune to Amazing Grace/New Britain)
My soul proclaims the Lord my God My spirit sings his praiseHe looks on me, he lifts me upAnd gladness fills my days
All nations now will share my joy His gifts he has outpoured
His little ones he has made great I magnify the Lord
His mercy is forever moreHis name I praise againHis strong right arm puts down the proud And raises lowly men
He fills the hungry with good things The rich he sends awayThe promise made to AbrahamIs filled by him each day
Antiphon: You, O Lord, are the One whose coming was foretold, we long for you to come and set your people free.
INTERCESSIONS
Blessed be Jesus Christ, the Lord, who has come to bring lightto those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death. With deep faith we beg him:
Christ, Rising Sun, give us your light.
Lord Jesus, at your coming you brought to birth your body, the Church,
- let her be rooted in love and gifted with growth.
You hold heaven and earth in your hands,
- let all peoples and their leaders recognize your royal power.
Through your incarnation you became eternal high priest,
- let all priests be genuine ministers of your saving work.
In the womb of the Virgin Mary, you brought about a mystical union of divinity and humanity,
- bless the virgins consecrated to you, their heavenly Spouse.
You did not create the power of death but you destroyed it by becoming man,
- graciously transform the mortality of our deceased brothers and sisters into eternal life.
Pater Noster
Pater noster, qui es in cælis
Sanctificétur nomen tuum
Advéniat regnum tuum
Fiat volúntas tua
Sicut in cælo et in terra
Panem nostrum quotidiánum da nobis hódie
Et dimítte nobis débita nostra
Sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris
Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem
Sed libera nos a malo
Amen
COLLECT
O God, whose eternal Word adorns the face of the heavens
yet accepted from the Virgin Mary the frailty of our flesh,
grant, we pray,
that he who appeared among us as the splendor of truth
may go forth in the fullness of power
for the redemption of the world.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Final Blessing and Dismissal