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
Angels we have heard on high,
Singing sweetly through the night,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their brave delight.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why these songs of happy cheer?
What great brightness did you see?
What glad tiding did you hear?
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ, the Lord, the new-born King.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
See him in a manger laid
Whom the angels praise above;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While we raise our hearts in love.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
PSALMODY
Antiphon 1: The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?
Psalm 27
I
The Lord is my light and my help;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink?
When evildoers draw near to devour my flesh,
it is they, my enemies and foes, who stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me
my heart would not fear.
Though war break out against me
even then would I trust.
There is one thing I ask of the Lord, for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life,
to savor the sweetness of the Lord,
to behold his temple.
For there he keeps me safe in his tent
in the day of evil.
He hides me in the shelter of his tent,
on a rock he sets me safe.
And now my head shall be raised above my foes who surround me,
and I shall offer within his tent a sacrifice of joy.
I will sing and make music for the Lord. Glory…
Antiphon 1: The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?
Antiphon 2:I long to look on you, O Lord; do not turn your face from me.
II
O Lord, hear my voice when I call;
have mercy and answer.
Of you my heart has spoken:
“Seek his face.”
It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;
hide not your face.
Dismiss not your servant in anger;
you have been my help.
Do not abandon or forsake me, O God my help!
Though father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.
Instruct me, Lord, in your way;
on an even path lead me.
When they lie in ambush,
protect me from my enemy’s greed.
False witnesses rise against me,
breathing out fury.
I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord! Glory…
Psalm Prayer:Father, you protect and strengthen those who hope in you; you heard the cry of your Son and kept him safe in your tent in the day of evil. Grant that your servants who seek your face in time of trouble may see your goodness in the land of the living.
Antiphon 2: I long to look on you, O Lord; do not turn your face from me.
.Antiphon 3: He is the first-born of all creation; in every way the primacy is his.
.
Canticle – Colossians 1:12-20
Let us give thanks to the Father
for having made you worthy
to share the lot of the saints
in light.
He rescued us
from the power of darkness
and brought us
into the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Through him we have redemption,
the forgiveness of our sins.
He is the image of the invisible God,
the first-born of all creatures.
In him everything in heaven and on earth was created,
things visible and invisible.
All were created through him;
all were created for him.
He is before all else that is.
In him everything continues in being.
It is he who is head of the body, the church;
he who is the beginning,
the first-born of the dead,
so that primacy may be his in everything.
It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him
and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person,
both on earth and in the heavens,
making peace through the blood of his cross. Glory…
Antiphon 3:Through him all things were made; he holds all creation together in himself.
OPENING PRAYER (stand)
All sit for the Liturgy of the Word.
After the Homily:
INTERCESSIONSChrist came and gave himself up to purify his people, to make of them an acceptable offering, a band of disciples to continue his good work. With fervent devotion, let us call upon him:
Lord, have mercy.
For your holy Church, – that all her children may be born into a new life.
For the poor, for prisoners and for refugees, – may they find you, the incarnate Son of God, in our love.
That our joy may be full, – and that we may marvel at the Father’s gift, which he has given us in you.
That your servants who have died with the knowledge of your birth may see your face, – and that night may fall upon them no more.
Presider:
Grant us, almighty God, that the bringer of your salvation,who for the world’s redemption came forth with newness of heavenly light,may dawn afresh in our hearts and bring us constant renewal.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)
Lord’s Prayer
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: I have come forth from God into the world; I have not come of myself, but the father sent me.
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: I have come forth from God into the world; I have not come of myself, but the father sent me.