CHRISTMAS NOVENA 8.
Dec. 24: Awake, mankind! For your sake God has become man (St. Augustine)
AV summary (1:15s) & text.
Dec. 24: Awake, mankind! For your sake God has become man (St. Augustine)
AV summary (1:15s) & text.
Dear brethren in Christ, as preparation for Christmas, below you have the corresponding Antiphon, Opening prayer and Gospel reading of the Mass and the daily 2nd reading of the Divine Office for meditation.
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Fr. Rolly Arjonillo, Catholics striving for Holiness.
OUTLINE
- Antiphon: Cfr Gal 4: 4
- Gospel reading from St. Luke 1:57-66: The Birth of John the Baptist
- Divine office Reading: Truth has arisen from the earth and justice has looked down from heaven (St. Augustine)
- Prayer
1. Antiphon: Cfr Gal 4: 4
Behold, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son into the world.
2. Gospel reading from St. Luke 1:57-66: The Circumcision of John the Baptist
“When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be? For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”
3. Divine office Reading: Truth has arisen from the earth and justice has looked down from heaven (St. Augustine)
St Augustine
Truth has arisen from the earth and justice has looked down from heaven.
Awake, mankind! For your sake God has become man. Awake, you who sleep, rise up from the dead, and Christ will enlighten you. I tell you again: for your sake, God became man.
You would have suffered eternal death, had he not been born in time. Never would you have been freed from sinful flesh, had he not taken on himself the likeness of sinful flesh. You would have suffered everlasting unhappiness, had it not been for this mercy. You would never have returned to life, had he not shared your death. You would have been lost if he had not hastened to your aid. You would have perished, had he not come.
Let us then joyfully celebrate the coming of our salvation and redemption. Let us celebrate the festive day on which he who is the great and eternal day came from the great and endless day of eternity into our own short day of time.
He has become our justice, our sanctification, our redemption, so that, as it is written: Let him who glories glory in the Lord.
Truth, then, has arisen from the earth: Christ who said, I am the Truth, was born of the Virgin. And justice looked down from heaven: because believing in this new-born child, man is justified not by himself but by God.
Truth has arisen from the earth: because the Word was made flesh. And justice looked down from heaven: because every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.
Truth has arisen from the earth: flesh from Mary. And justice looked down from heaven: for man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.
Justified by faith, let us be at peace with God: for justice and peace have embraced one another. Through our Lord Jesus Christ: for Truth has arisen from the earth. Through whom we have access to that grace in which we stand, and our boast is in our hope of God’s glory. He does not say: “of our glory,” but of God’s glory: for justice has not come out of us but has looked down from heaven. Therefore he who glories, let him glory, not in himself, but in the Lord.
For this reason, when our Lord was born of the Virgin, the message of the angelic voices was: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to men of good will.
For how could there be peace on earth unless Truth has arisen from the earth, that is, unless Christ were born of our flesh? And he is our peace who made the two into one: that we might be men of good will, sweetly linked by the bond of unity.
Let us then rejoice in this grace, so that our glorying may bear witness to our good conscience by which we glory, not in ourselves, but in the Lord. That is why Scripture says: He is my glory, the one who lifts up my head. For what greater grace could God have made to dawn on us than to make his only Son become the son of man, so that a son of man might in his turn become son of God?
Ask if this were merited; ask for its reason, for its justification, and see whether you will find any other answer but sheer grace.
℟. A shoot shall grow from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall spring from his roots.* Round his waist he shall wear the belt of justice, and good faith shall be the girdle round his body.
℣. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and power.* Round his waist he shall wear the belt of justice, and good faith shall be the girdle round his body.
4. Prayer
Come quickly, we pray, Lord Jesus, and do not delay, that those who trust in your compassion may find solace and relief in your coming. Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
DECEMBER 25 MASS AND READINGS CLICK HERE.
AUDIO CREDIT: J S Bach – Magnificat BWV 243 – Gloria Patri by The Tudor Consort is licensed under a Attribution License.
PHOTO CREDIT AND SOURCE:
Lebrun, Adoration of the Shepherds, http://sites.stfx.ca/catholic_studies/sites/sites.stfx.ca.catholic_studies/files/lebrun-adoration_of_the_shepherds.jpg?1320780098
Gerard David, the Birth of Christ in https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/6a/1b/c5/6a1bc5a3c52cd29e47a1fa8137422502.jpg
Noel Coypel, The Nativity of Jesus in https://thefineprints.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/45nativity540.jpg?w=1031
#CHRISTMASNOVENA 8. Dec. 24: Awake mankind! For your sake, #Godhasbecomeman. (#StAugustine).
VIDEO COMMENTARY 2: TOPIC: HOW MUCH DO YOU VALUE YOUR NAME?
1st Reading
Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14
Gospel
Luke 1:57-66
We reflect today on our name and its significance to us. Are we proud of our name? Are we expected to follow the footsteps of our parents? Do we expect our children to tread our path, as well? This may result in much anxiety and regret later on. We only need to do what the Lord expects of us and that is all that matters.
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