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.
O COME, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that morns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
R./ Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel,
shall come to thee, O Israel!
O come, Thou Wisdom, from on high,
and order all things far and nigh;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go. R./
O come, o come, Thou Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law,
in cloud, and majesty, and awe. R./
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse’s stem,
from ev’ry foe deliver them
that trust Thy mighty power to save,
and give them vict’ry o’er the grave. R./
O come, Thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heav’nly home,
make safe the way that leads on high,
that we no more have cause to sigh. R./
PSALMODY
Antiphon 1: To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; come and rescue me, for you are my refuge and my strength.
Psalm 144
I
Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my arms for battle,
who prepares my hands for war.
He is my love, my fortress;
he is my stronghold, my savior
my shield, my place of refuge.
He brings peoples under my rule.
Lord, what is man that you care for him,
mortal man, that your keep him in mind;
man, who is merely a breath
whose life fades like a passing shadow?
Lower your heavens and come down;
touch the mountains; wreathe them in smoke.
Flash your lightnings; rout the foe,
shoot your arrows and put them to flight.
Reach down from heaven and save me;
draw me out from the mighty waters,
from the hands of alien foes
whose mouths are filled with lies,
whose hands are raised in perjury. Glory…
Antiphon 1: To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; come and rescue me, for you are my refuge and my strength.
Antiphon 2. Bless those, O Lord, who have waited for your coming; let your prophets be proved true.
II
The Lord swore an oath to David;
he will not go back on this word:
“A son, the fruit of your body,
will I set upon your throne.
If they keep my covenant in truth
and my laws that I have taught them,
their sons too shall rule
on your throne from age to age.”
For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling:
“This is my resting-place for ever;
here have I chosen to live.
I will greatly bless her produce,
I will fill her poor with bread.
I will clothe her priests with salvation
and her faithful shall ring out their joy.
There David’s stock will flower;
I will prepare a lamp for my anointed.
I will cover his enemies with shame
but on him my crown shall shine.” Glory…
Psalm Prayer: You are our King, Lord God. Help us to find a place for you in our hearts. Clothe your priests with saving power, fill the needy with bread, and let your holiness shine on us all.
Antiphon 2 Bless those, O Lord, who have waited for your coming; let your prophets be proved true.
.Antiphon 3: Turn to us, O Lord, make haste to help your people.
Revelation 11:17-18; 12:10b-12a
We praise you, the Lord God Almighty,
Who is and who was.
You have assumed your great power,
You have begun your reign.
The nations have raged in anger,
But then came your day of wrath
And the moment to judge the dead:
The time to reward your servants the prophets
And the holy ones who revere you,
The great and the small alike.
Now have salvation and power come,
The reign of our God and the authority
Of his Anointed One,
For the accuser of our brothers is cast out,
Who night and day accused them before God.
They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
And by the word of their testimony;
Love for life did not deter them from death.
So rejoice, you heavens,
And you that dwell therein! Glory…
Antiphon 3 Turn to us, O Lord, make haste to help your people.
Opening Prayer
Please be seated for the Liturgy of the Word
Homily
Please Stand for the Universal Prayer
INTERCESSIONS To our Redeemer who came to bring good news to the poor, let us earnestly pray:
Let all people see your glory!
Show yourself to those who have never known you;
– let them see your saving work.
Let your name be preached to the ends of the earth,
– that all may find the way to you.
You came first to save the world;
– now come again and save those who believe in you.
You brought freedom to us by saving us;
– continue to save us and make us free.
You came once as a man; you will return in judgment;
– bring eternal reward to those who have died.
Presider:
Almighty ever-living God,
as we see how the Nativity of your Son
according to the flesh draws near,
we pray that to us, your unworthy servants,
mercy may flow from your Word,
who chose to become flesh of the Virgin Mary
and establish among us his dwelling,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Sit for the Preparation of the Gifts
Lord’s Prayer (#860, Breaking Bread Music Issue)
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
MAGNIFICAT (Canticle of Mary)
Antiphon: O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.
(#825, Breaking Bread – Luke 1: Magnificat by Bernadette Farrell)
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
my spirit sings to God, my saving God,
who on this day above all others favored me
and raised me up, a light for all to see.
Through me great deeds will God make manifest,
and all the earth will come to call me blest.
Unbounded love and mercy sure will I proclaim
for all who know and praise God ́s holy name.
God ́s mighty arm, protector of the just,
will guard the weak and raise them from the dust.
But mighty kings will swiftly fall from thrones corrupt.
The strong brought low, the lowly lifted up.
Soon will the poor and hungry of the earth be richly blest, be given greater worth. And Israel, as once foretold to Abraham, will live in peace throughout the promised land.
All glory be to God, Creator blest,
to Jesus Christ, God ́s love made manifest,
and to the Holy Spirit, gentle Comforter,
all glory be, both now and ever more
Antiphon: O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.
Final Blessing and Dismissal