DECEMBER 23
Mass and readings
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON
Nascétur nobis párvulus, et vocábitur Deus, Fortis; in ipso benedicéntur omnes tribus terræ.
A child shall be born for us, and he will be called God, the Almighty; every tribe of the earth shall be blest in him.
[–» Greeting]
COLLECT
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.
READING I
Malachias 3:1–4, 23–24
Thus says the Lord God: Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; and suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek, and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the Lord. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord, as in the days of old, as in years gone by.
Lo, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with doom.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
R Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.
Respícite et leváte cápita vestra, quónium appropínquat redémptio vestra.
Your ways, O Lord, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior. R.
Good and upright is the Lord;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way. R.
All the paths of the Lord are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the Lord is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction. R.
ALLELUIA
Come, King of all nations, source of your Church’s unity and faith: save all mankind, your own creation!
Rex géntium et lapis anguláris Ecclésiæ: veni, et salva hóminem quem de limo formásti.
GOSPEL
Luke 1:57–66
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.”
PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
May this oblation, by which divine worship in its fullness has been inaugurated for us, be our perfect reconciliation with you, O Lord, that we may celebrate with minds made pure the Nativity of our Redeemer. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
[–» Eucharistic Prayer]
[–» Preface II of Advent]
COMMUNION ANTIPHON
Ecce sto ad óstium et pulso: si quis audíerit vocem meam, et aperúerit mihi iánuam, intrábo ad illum, et cenábo cum illo, et ipse mecum.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock: If anyone hears my voice, and opens the door to me, I will come in to him, and dine with him, and he with me.
[–» Communion]
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Grant your peace, O Lord, to those you have nourished with these heavenly gifts, that we may be ready, with lighted lamps, to meet your dearly beloved Son as he comes. Through Christ our Lord.
[–» Concluding Rite]
FOR DEC. 24 MORNING MASS AND READINGS, CLICK HERE.
FOR DEC. 25 MASS AND READINGS, CLICK HERE
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