The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Mass during the Day
Lectionary: 16
25 DEC 2023 A.D.


Reading I
Is 52:7-10

   How beautiful upon the mountains
       are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,
   announcing peace, bearing good news,
       announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,
       “Your God is King!”

   Hark!  Your sentinels raise a cry,
       together they shout for joy,
   for they see directly, before their eyes,
       the LORD restoring Zion.
   Break out together in song,
       O ruins of Jerusalem!
   For the LORD comforts his people,
       he redeems Jerusalem.
   The LORD has bared his holy arm
       in the sight of all the nations;
   all the ends of the earth will behold
       the salvation of our God.


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6.

R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Sing to the LORD a new song,
  for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
  his holy arm.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

The LORD has made his salvation known:
  in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
  toward the house of Israel.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

All the ends of the earth have seen
  the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
  break into song; sing praise.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
  with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
  sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.


Reading II
Heb 1:1-6

Brothers and sisters:
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways
   to our ancestors through the prophets;
   in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son,
   whom he made heir of all things
   and through whom he created the universe,
       who is the refulgence of his glory,
           the very imprint of his being,
       and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
       When he had accomplished purification from sins,
       he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
       as far superior to the angels
       as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

For to which of the angels did God ever say:
   You are my son; this day I have begotten you?
Or again:
   I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me?
And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says:
   Let all the angels of God worship him.


Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A holy day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.
For today a great light has come upon the earth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel
Jn 1:1-18

   In the beginning was the Word,
       and the Word was with God,
       and the Word was God.
   He was in the beginning with God.
   All things came to be through him,
       and without him nothing came to be.
   What came to be through him was life,
       and this life was the light of the human race;
   the light shines in the darkness,
       and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
   He was in the world,
       and the world came to be through him,
       but the world did not know him.
   He came to what was his own,
       but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.
   And the Word became flesh
       and made his dwelling among us,
       and we saw his glory,
       the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
       full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
“This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,
has revealed him.


Overview of the Gospel:

• In this Gospel, we contemplate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Nativity (birth) of our Lord is
the third Joyful Mystery of the Most Holy Rosary. [special thanks to Vince Contreras: "Sunday Scripture Study for Catholics."]


"As by the Word of God, Jesus our Savior was Flesh, and had both Flesh and blood for our salvation, so also the food which has been blessed by the word of prayer instituted by Him is both the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Incarnate." ~St. Justin Martyr (c.100—165 A.D.)

Thanks!

Yessir! You're very welcome, Brother, tortilla-flats!

...how can I not spread the great news: "MESSIAH HAS COME!"

...as one of us...and as an infant, no less! "GOD WITH US!"

Emmanuel...

Merry Christmas to all men of good will as we celebrate the birth of the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world.

I am grateful for all of my Christian brothers and sisters who participate here, but I am especially grateful for all of my Catholic and Orthodox (the one I know about anyway!) for the instructions I have received by reading your posts. Thank you for taking the time to share what the Holy Spirit has taught you over the years.

It's our pleasure, Brother, monadh!

A Joyous and Merry Christmas to you and yours and all men and women of goodwill!

....it's always amazed me that the Creator of all Creation came to us as an infant AND his arrival was announced--not to the rich, powerful, or famous--but to lowly shepherds--working people who knew what toil, troubles, mud and manure meant....


Peace and blessings!

BNA