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.
Oh, come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant!
Oh, come ye, oh, come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him Born the king of angels:
Refrain:
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Oh, come, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord.
Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God in the highest glory:
Refrain
Savior, we greet thee, Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be all glory given!
Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing:
Refrain
PSALMODY
Antiphon 1: A humble, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.
Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offense.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
My offenses truly I know them;
my sin is always before me
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done.
That you may be justified when you give sentence
and be without reproach when you judge,
O see, in guilt I was born,
a sinner was I conceived.
Indeed you love truth in the heart;
then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.
O purify me, then I shall be clean;
O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear rejoicing and gladness,
that the bones you have crushed may thrill.
From my sins turn away your face
and blot out all my guilt.
A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
nor deprive me of your holy spirit.
Give me again the joy of your help;
with a spirit of fervor sustain me,
that I may teach transgressors your ways
and sinners may return to you.
O rescue me, God, my helper,
and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare your praise.
For in sacrifice you take no delight,
burnt offering from me you would refuse,
my sacrifice, a contrite spirit,
a humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn.
In your goodness, show favor to Zion:
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will be pleased with lawful sacrifice,
holocausts offered on your altar. Glory…
Psalm Prayer:Father, he who knew no sin was made sin for us, to save us and restore us to your friendship. Look upon our contrite heart and afflicted spirit and heal our troubled conscience, so that in the joy and strength of the Holy Spirit we may proclaim your praise and glory before all the nations.
Antiphon 1: A humble, contrite heart, O God, you will not spurn.
Antiphon 2:Even in your anger, Lord, you will remember compassion.
Canticle – Habakkuk 3:2-4, 13a, 15-19
O Lord, I have heard your renown,
and feared, O Lord, your work.
In the course of the years revive it,
in the course of the years make it known;
in your wrath remember compassion!
God comes from Teman,
the Holy One from Mount Paran.
Covered are the heavens with his glory,
and with his praise the earth is filled.
His splendor spreads like the light;
rays shine forth from beside him,
where his power is concealed.
You come forth to save your people,
to save your anointed one
You tread the sea with your steeds
amid the churning of the deep waters.
I hear, and my body trembles;
at the sound, my lips quiver.
Decay invades my bones,
my legs tremble beneath me.
I await the day of distress
that will come upon the people who attack us.
For though the fig tree blossom not
nor fruit be on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive fail
and the terraces produce no nourishment,
Though the flocks disappear from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
Yet will I rejoice in the Lord
and exult in my saving God.
God, my Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet swift as those of hinds
and enables me to go upon the heights. Glory…
Antiphon 2 Even in your anger, Lord, you will remember compassion.
Antiphon 3: O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Psalm 147:12-20
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Zion praise your God!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates
he has blessed the children within you.
He established peace on your borders,
he feeds you with finest wheat.
He sends out his word to the earth
and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow white as wool,
he scatters hoar-frost like ashes.
He hurls down hailstones like crumbs.
The waters are frozen at his touch;
he sends forth his word and it melts them:
at the breath of his mouth the waters flow.
He makes his word known to Jacob,
to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his decrees. Glory…
Psalm Prayer: Lord, you established peace within the borders of Jerusalem. Give the fullness of peace now to your faithful people. May peace rule us in this life and possess us in eternal life. You are about to fill us with the best of wheat: grant that what we see dimly now as in a mirror, we may come to perceive clearly in the brightness of your truth.
Antiphon 3: O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Opening Prayer (please stand)
All sit for the Liturgy of the Word.
INTERCESSIONS (Universal Prayer)
Give honor and glory to Jesus Christ who comes to create a new heart and a new spirit in all. We call on him as we say:
By the power of your birth, make us new persons.
You took on our life and offered us in return the mystery of God’s life,
- help us to recognize you in the mysteries of your word and your eucharist which you entrusted to your Church. Founder of the human race, through the spotless Virgin you became one of us,
- through her intercession, may we touch your divinity and be healed. Our Redeemer, you descended upon the earth as the rain which fell upon the sheepskin of Gideon,
- now drench our lives in the living water that springs up to provide eternal life. As we celebrate the beginning of your life on this earth,
- let us imitate that perfect manhood which you revealed in your life among us.
Presider: Grant, we ask, almighty God, that the Nativity of the Savior of the world,- made known by the guidance of a star, may be revealed ever more fully to our minds.
- Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
(All are seated for the Liturgy of the Eucharist)
After Holy Communion, all stand for the Benedictus.
BENEDICTUS/Canticle of Zachariah Benedictus – Luke 1: 68-79
Antiphon: All who once reviled you will come and bow down in worship before your very footprints.
(While making the Sign of the Cross, we pray the following)
Blest be the God of Israel who comes to set us free
and raises up new hope for us: a Branch for David’s tree.
So have the prophets long declared that with a mighty arm
God would turn back our enemies and all who wish us harm
.
With promised mercy will God still the covenant recall,
the oath once sworn to Abraham from foes to save us all;
that we might worship without fear and offer lives of praise,
in holiness and righteousness to serve God all our days.
My child, as prophet of the Lord you will prepare the way,
to tell God’s people they are saved from sin’s eternal sway.
Then shall God’s mercy from on high shine forth and never cease
to drive away the gloom of death and lead us into peace.
Antiphon: All who once reviled you will come and bow down in worship before your very footprints.
Prayer After Communion
Dismissal & Final Blessing
Heart of Jesus meek and mild,Hear, oh hear thy feeble child,When the tempest’s most severe,Heart of Jesus hear.Sweetly we’ll rest on thy Sacred Heart,Never from Thee, oh, let us part,Hear then thy loving children’s pray’r,Heart of Jesus hear.Make me Jesus wholly thine,Change this wayward heart of mine,Lead me through this world so drear,Heart of Jesus hear!Sweetly we’ll rest on thy Sacred Heart,Never from Thee, oh, let us part,Hear then thy loving children’s pray’r,Heart of Jesus hear.When I draw my latest breath,When my eyes shall close in death,Then sweet Jesus be Thou near,Heart of Jesus hear!Sweetly we’ll rest on thy Sacred Heart,Never from Thee, oh, let us part,Hear then thy loving children’s pray’r,Heart of Jesus hear.