Wednesday 25 December 2019
Christmas Day - Solemnity
Office of Readings
(combined with Lauds)
This is the Office of Readings joined to another Hour, as described in §99 of the General Instruction. To see the Office of Readings on its own, use the menu button on the right.
Introduction (without Invitatory)
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, use the version with the Invitatory Psalm instead.
O God, come to our aid.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
________
Hymn
From lands that see the sun arise,
To earth’s remotest boundaries,
The Virgin-born today we sing,
The Son of Mary, Christ the King.
Blest Author of this earthly frame,
To take a servant’s form he came,
That, liberating flesh by flesh,
Whom he had made might live afresh.
In that chaste parent’s holy womb,
Celestial grace hath found its home:
And she, as earthly bride unknown,
Yet calls that Offspring blest her own.
That Son, that royal Son she bore,
Whom Gabriel’s voice had told before;
Whom, in his Mother yet concealed,
The Infant Baptist had revealed.
All honour, laud and glory be,
O Jesu, Virgin-born, to thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.
________
Psalm 2
The Messiah, king and victor
“They rose up together against your servant Jesus, whom you had anointed” (Acts 4:27).
The Lord said to me: ‘You are my son. It is I who have begotten you this day.’
Whý this túmult among nátions, *
among péoples this úseless múrmuring?
They aríse, the kíngs of the éarth, *
princes plót against the Lórd and his Anóinted.
‘Cóme, let us bréak their fétters, *
cóme, let us cást off their yóke.’
He who síts in the héavens láughs; *
the Lórd is láughing them to scórn.
Thén he will spéak in his ánger, *
his ráge will stríke them with térror.
‘It is Í who have sét up my kíng *
on Síon, my hóly móuntain.’
I will annóunce the decrée of the Lórd: †
The Lórd said to me: ‘Yóu are my Són. *
It is Í who have begótten you this dáy.
Ásk and I shall bequéath you the nátions, *
put the énds of the éarth in your posséssion.
With a ród of íron you will bréak them, *
shátter them like a pótter’s jár.’
Nów, O kíngs, understánd, *
take wárning, rúlers of the éarth;
sérve the Lórd with áwe *
and trémbling, páy him your hómage
lést he be ángry and you pérish; *
for súddenly his ánger will bláze.
Blessed are théy who put their trúst in Gód.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
The Lord said to me: ‘You are my son. It is I who have begotten you this day.’
Psalm-prayer
Lord God, you gave the peoples of the world as the inheritance of your only Son; you crowned him as King of Zion, your holy city, and gave him your Church to be his Bride. As he proclaims the law of your eternal kingdom, may we serve him faithfully, and so share his royal power for ever.
________
Psalm 18 (19)
Praise of God the creator
“The Rising Sun has come to visit us to guide our feet in the way of peace” (Lk 1:78,79).
The Lord comes forth like a bridegroom coming from his tent.
The héavens procláim the glóry of Gód, *
and the fírmament shows fórth the wórk of his hánds.
Dáy unto dáy tákes up the stóry *
and níght unto níght makes knówn the méssage.
No spéech, no wórd, no vóice is héard †
yet their spán exténds through áll the éarth, *
their wórds to the útmost bóunds of the wórld.
Thére he has pláced a tént for the sún; †
it comes fórth like a brídegroom cóming from his tént, *
rejóices like a chámpion to rún its cóurse.
At the énd of the ský is the rísing of the sún; †
to the fúrthest énd of the ský is its cóurse. *
There is nóthing concéaled from its búrning héat.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
The Lord comes forth like a bridegroom coming from his tent.
Psalm-prayer
To enlighten the world, Father, you sent to us your Word as the sun of truth and justice shining upon mankind. Illumine our eyes that we may discern your glory in the many works of your hand.
________
Psalm 44 (45)
The wedding of the King
“Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him” (Mt 25:6).
Graciousness is poured upon your lips, because God has blessed you for evermore.
My héart overflóws with nóble wórds. †
To the kíng I must spéak the sóng I have máde, *
my tóngue as nímble as the pén of a scríbe.
Yóu are the fáirest of the chíldren of mén †
and gráciousness is póured upón your líps: *
because Gód has bléssed you for évermóre.
O míghty one, gírd your swórd upon your thígh; †
in spléndour and státe, ríde on in tríumph *
for the cáuse of trúth and góodness and ríght.
Take áim with your bów in your dréad right hánd. †
Your árrows are shárp, péoples fall benéath you. *
The fóes of the kíng fall dówn and lose héart.
Your thróne, O Gód, shall endúre for éver. †
A scéptre of jústice is the scéptre of your kíngdom. *
Your lóve is for jústice; your hátred for évil.
Therefore Gód, your Gód, has anóinted yóu †
with the óil of gládness abóve other kíngs: *
your róbes are frágrant with alóes and mýrrh.
From the ívory pálace you are gréeted with músic. †
The dáughters of kíngs are amóng your lóved ones. *
On your ríght stands the quéen in góld of Óphir.
Lísten, O dáughter, give éar to my wórds: *
forgét your own péople and your fáther’s hóuse.
Só will the kíng desíre your béauty: *
Hé is your lórd, pay hómage to hím.
And the péople of Týre shall cóme with gífts, *
the ríchest of the péople shall séek your fávour.
The dáughter of the kíng is clóthed with spléndour, *
her róbes embróidered with péarls set in góld.
She is léd to the kíng with her máiden compánions. †
Théy are escórted amid gládness and jóy; *
they páss withín the pálace of the kíng.
Sóns shall be yóurs in pláce of your fáthers: *
you will máke them prínces over áll the éarth.
May this sóng make your náme for éver remémbered. *
May the péoples práise you from áge to áge.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Graciousness is poured upon your lips, because God has blessed you for evermore.
Psalm-prayer
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.
________
℣. The Word became flesh, alleluia.
℟. And he lived among us, alleluia.
________
First Reading
Isaiah 11:1-10
A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse
A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse,
a scion thrusts from his roots:
on him the spirit of the Lord rests,
a spirit of wisdom and insight,
a spirit of counsel and power,
a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
(The fear of the Lord is his breath.)
He does not judge by appearances,
he gives no verdict on hearsay,
but judges the wretched with integrity,
and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land.
His word is a rod that strikes the ruthless,
his sentences bring death to the wicked.
Integrity is the loincloth round his waist,
faithfulness the belt about his hips.
The wolf lives with the lamb,
the panther lies down with the kid,
calf and lion feed together,
with a little boy to lead them.
The cow and the bear make friends,
their young lie down together.
The lion eats straw like the ox.
The infant plays over the cobra’s hole;
into the viper’s lair
the young child puts his hand.
They do no hurt, no harm,
on all my holy mountain,
for the country is filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters swell the sea.
That day, the root of Jesse
shall stand as a signal to the peoples.
It will be sought out by the nations
and its home will be glorious.
Responsory
℟. Today the king of heaven has deigned to be born of a virgin for us, to recall fallen man to his heavenly kingdom.* Hosts of angels rejoice, for eternal salvation has come to the human race.
℣. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is well pleased.* Hosts of angels rejoice, for eternal salvation has come to the human race.
________
Second Reading
From a sermon of Saint Leo the Great, pope
Christian, remember your dignity
Dearly beloved, today our Saviour is born; let us rejoice. Sadness should have no place on the birthday of life. The fear of death has been swallowed up; life brings us joy with the promise of eternal happiness.
No one is shut out from this joy; all share the same reason for rejoicing. Our Lord, victor over sin and death, finding no man free from sin, came to free us all. Let the saint rejoice as he sees the palm of victory at hand. Let the sinner be glad as he receives the offer of forgiveness. Let the pagan take courage as he is summoned to life.
In the fullness of time, chosen in the unfathomable depths of God’s wisdom, the Son of God took for himself our common humanity in order to reconcile it with its creator. He came to overthrow the devil, the origin of death, in that very nature by which he had overthrown mankind.
And so at the birth of our Lord the angels sing in joy: Glory to God in the highest, and they proclaim peace to men of good will as they see the heavenly Jerusalem being built from all the nations of the world. When the angels on high are so exultant at this marvellous work of God’s goodness, what joy should it not bring to the lowly hearts of men?
Beloved, let us give thanks to God the Father, through his Son, in the Holy Spirit, because in his great love for us he took pity on us, and when we were dead in our sins he brought us to life with Christ, so that in him we might be a new creation. Let us throw off our old nature and all its ways and, as we have come to birth in Christ, let us renounce the works of the flesh.
Christian, remember your dignity, and now that you share in God’s own nature, do not return by sin to your former base condition. Bear in mind who is your head and of whose body you are a member. Do not forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the light of God’s kingdom.
Through the sacrament of baptism you have become a temple of the Holy Spirit. Do not drive away so great a guest by evil conduct and become again a slave to the devil, for your liberty was bought by the blood of Christ.
Responsory
℟. Today true peace has come down to us from heaven;* the skies rain down sweetness all over the world.
℣. A day of new redemption has dawned, a day of eternal bliss, prepared from of old:* the skies rain down sweetness all over the world.
________
Vigils
If time allows, those who celebrate the Office of Readings of a Sunday (or solemnity, or feast of the Lord) on the evening before, or at the crack of dawn on the day itself, may enrich the celebration with three Old Testament canticles and a Gospel reading.
________
Hymn
Te Deum
We praise you, O God: *
we acclaim you as the Lord.
Everlasting Father, *
all the world bows down before you.
All the angels sing your praise, *
the hosts of heaven and all the angelic powers,
all the cherubim and seraphim *
call out to you in unending song:
Holy, Holy, Holy, *
is the Lord God of angel hosts!
The heavens and the earth are filled *
with your majesty and glory.
The glorious band of apostles, *
the noble company of prophets,
the white-robed army who shed their blood for Christ, *
all sing your praise.
And to the ends of the earth *
your holy Church proclaims her faith in you:
Father, whose majesty is boundless, *
your true and only Son, who is to be adored, *
the Holy Spirit sent to be our Advocate.
You, Christ, are the king of glory, *
Son of the eternal Father.
When you took our nature to save mankind *
you did not shrink from birth in the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the power of death *
opening the Father’s kingdom to all who believe in you.
Enthroned at God’s right hand in the glory of the Father, *
you will come in judgement according to your promise.
You redeemed your people by your precious blood. *
Come, we implore you, to our aid.
Grant us with the saints *
a place in eternal glory.
The final part of the hymn may be omitted:
Lord, save your people *
and bless your inheritance.
Rule them and uphold them *
for ever and ever.
Day by day we praise you: *
we acclaim you now and to all eternity.
In your goodness, Lord, keep us free from sin. *
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
May your mercy always be with us, Lord, *
for we have hoped in you.
In you, Lord, we put our trust: *
we shall not be put to shame.
________
Psalm 62 (63)
Thirsting for God
“Let the man who has put away the deeds of the night watch for God.”
Shepherds, tell us whom you have seen! Who has appeared on earth? ‘We have seen the newborn child and we have heard the choirs of angels praising the Lord. Alleluia.’
O Gód, you are my Gód, for you I lóng; *
for yóu my sóul is thírsting.
My bódy pínes for yóu *
like a drý, weary lánd without wáter.
So I gáze on yóu in the sánctuary *
to sée your stréngth and your glóry.
For your lóve is bétter than lífe, *
my líps will spéak your práise.
So I will bléss you áll my lífe, *
in your náme I will líft up my hánds.
My sóul shall be fílled as with a bánquet, *
my móuth shall práise you with jóy.
On my béd I remémber yóu. *
On yóu I múse through the níght
for yóu have béen my hélp; *
in the shádow of your wíngs I rejóice.
My sóul clíngs to yóu; *
your ríght hand hólds me fást.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Shepherds, tell us whom you have seen! Who has appeared on earth? ‘We have seen the newborn child and we have heard the choirs of angels praising the Lord. Alleluia.’
Psalm-prayer
Father, creator of unfailing light, give that same light to those who call to you. May our lips praise you; our lives proclaim your goodness; our work give you honour, and our voices celebrate you for ever.
Or:
This morning, Lord, we lift up our hands to praise you. We thirst for you; we long for you. Help us to love you more than life itself and fill us with good gifts from your banquet table.
________
Canticle
Daniel 3:57-88,56
All creatures, bless the Lord
“Praise our God, all you his servants” (Rev 19:5).
The angel said to the shepherds: ‘I bring you news of great joy: today the Saviour of the world has been born to you. Alleluia.’
O all you works of the Lord, O bless the Lord. *
To him be highest glory and praise for ever.
And you, angels of the Lord, O bless the Lord. *
To him be highest glory and praise for ever.
And you, the heavens of the Lord, O bless the Lord. *
And you, clouds of the sky, O bless the Lord.
And you, all armies of the Lord, O bless the Lord. *
To him be highest glory and praise for ever.
And you, sun and moon, O bless the Lord. *
And you, the stars of the heavens, O bless the Lord.
And you, showers and rain, O bless the Lord. *
To him be highest glory and praise for ever.
And you, all you breezes and winds, O bless the Lord. *
And you, fire and heat, O bless the Lord.
And you, cold and heat, O bless the Lord. *
To him be highest glory and praise for ever.
And you, showers and dew, O bless the Lord. *
And you, frosts and cold, O bless the Lord.
And you, frost and snow, O bless the Lord. *
To him be highest glory and praise for ever.
And you, night-time and day, O bless the Lord. *
And you, darkness and light, O bless the Lord.
And you, lightning and clouds, O bless the Lord. *
To him be highest glory and praise for ever.
O let the earth bless the Lord. *
To him be highest glory and praise for ever.
And you, mountains and hills, O bless the Lord. *
And you, all plants of the earth, O bless the Lord.
And you, fountains and springs, O bless the Lord. *
To him be highest glory and praise for ever.
And you, rivers and seas, O bless the Lord. *
And you, creatures of the sea, O bless the Lord.
And you, every bird in the sky, O bless the Lord. †
And you, wild beasts and tame, O bless the Lord. *
To him be highest glory and praise for ever.
And you, children of men, O bless the Lord. *
To him be highest glory and praise for ever.
O Israel, bless the Lord, O bless the Lord. *
And you, priests of the Lord, O bless the Lord.
And you, servants of the Lord, O bless the Lord. *
To him be highest glory and praise for ever.
And you, spirits and souls of the just, O bless the Lord. *
And you, holy and humble of heart, O bless the Lord.
Ananias, Azarias, Mizael, O bless the Lord. *
To him be highest glory and praise for ever.
Let us praise the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit: *
To you be highest glory and praise for ever.
May you be blessed, O Lord, in the heavens: *
To you be highest glory and praise for ever.
The angel said to the shepherds: ‘I bring you news of great joy: today the Saviour of the world has been born to you. Alleluia.’
________
Psalm 149
The saints rejoice
“The members of the Church, God’s new people, will rejoice in their king, who is Christ” (Hesychius).
Today a child is born to us. His name will be called ‘Mighty God.’ Alleluia.
Síng a new sóng to the Lórd, *
his práise in the assémbly of the fáithful.
Let Ísrael rejóice in its Máker, *
let Síon’s sons exúlt in their kíng.
Let them práise his náme with dáncing *
and make músic with tímbrel and hárp.
For the Lórd takes delíght in his péople. *
He crówns the póor with salvátion.
Let the fáithful rejóice in their glóry, *
shout for jóy and táke their rést.
Let the práise of Gód be on their líps *
and a twó-edged swórd in their hánd,
to déal out véngeance to the nátions *
and púnishment on áll the péoples;
to bínd their kíngs in cháins *
and their nóbles in fétters of íron;
to cárry out the séntence pre-ordáined: *
this hónour is for áll his fáithful.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Today a child is born to us. His name will be called ‘Mighty God.’ Alleluia.
Psalm-prayer
Let Israel rejoice in you, Lord, and acknowledge you as creator and redeemer. We put our trust in your faithfulness and proclaim the wonderful truths of salvation. May your loving kindness embrace us now and for ever.
Or:
Lord Jesus, you came to your own people and gave to all who welcomed you power to become children of God. In your merciful love watch over the Church and through her ministry bring salvation to the meek and lowly. May we avoid the snares of the impious, and come to rejoice in glory with your saints.
________
Short Reading
Hebrews 1:1-2
At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, the Son that he has appointed to inherit everything and through whom he made everything there is.
________
Short Responsory
The Lord has made known his salvation, alleluia, alleluia.
– The Lord has made known his salvation, alleluia, alleluia.
He has revealed his saving power.
– The Lord has made known his salvation, alleluia, alleluia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– The Lord has made known his salvation, alleluia, alleluia.
________
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and the one who was sent before him
Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace among his chosen people, alleluia.
Bléssed be the Lórd, the Gód of Ísrael! *
He has vísited his péople and redéemed them.
He has raised úp for ús a mighty sáviour *
in the hóuse of Dávid his sérvant,
as he prómised by the líps of holy mén, *
thóse who were his próphets from of óld.
A sáviour who would frée us from our fóes, *
from the hánds of áll who háte us.
So his lóve for our fáthers is fulfílled *
and his hóly covenant remémbered.
He swóre to Ábraham our fáther to gránt us, *
that frée from féar, and sáved from the hánds of our fóes,
we might sérve him in hóliness and jústice *
all the dáys of our lífe in his présence.
As for yóu, little chíld, *
you shall be cálled a próphet of Gód, the Most Hígh.
You shall go ahéad of the Lórd *
to prépare his wáys befóre him,
To make knówn to his péople their salvátion *
through forgíveness of áll their síns,
the loving-kíndness of the héart of our Gód *
who vísits us like the dáwn from on hígh.
He will give líght to those in dárkness, †
those who dwéll in the shádow of déath, *
and gúide us into the wáy of péace.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace among his chosen people, alleluia.
________
Prayers and intercessions
God our Father, this morning we eagerly greet the birth of Jesus, our brother and Saviour. He is the Daystar from on high, the light-bearer who brings the dawn to us, who wait patiently for his coming.
– Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men.
Father, bless on this holy day the Church all over the world.
May she light afresh in men’s hearts the lamps of hope and peace.
– Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men.
Your Son has come to us in the fullness of time:
let those who wait for him recognize his coming.
– Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men.
His birth bound heaven to earth in harmony and peace.
Establish that same peace among nations and men of today.
– Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men.
With Mary and Joseph we rejoice in the birth of Jesus.
May we welcome Christ as they did.
– Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men.
________
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
________
Almighty God,
your incarnate Word fills us with the new light he brought to men.
Let the light of faith in our hearts
shine through all that we do and say.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
________
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Copyright © 1996-2019 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1996-2019 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.