Solemnity of the Nativity
of the Lord
Christmas Mass during the Day
December 25, 2014 Cycle B
White priestly vestments symbolize purity and integrity of the life of Faith.
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Liturgical
Church Year Cycle B14-15
Introductory Acts Of Worship
The Entrance Prayers:
On Sunday, usually a hymn praising God
is sung in place of reciting a Psalm from the Bible which invites us to
enter more deeply into the mystery of God's love for us. The recited
weekday Psalm expresses a youthful heart and spirit, delighted that we may come
before the living God.
Entrance Song
/ Entrance Psalm (Antiphon)
Entrance Song
Isaiah 9:5
A child is
born for us, and a son is given to us; his scepter of power rests upon his
shoulder, and his name will be called Messenger of great counsel.
The Priest Approaches and Kisses the Altar: The altar is a symbol of Christ. In it are cut five crosses to recall the five wounds of Christ. The altar also represents the Church and has embedded in it the relics of her saints. The priest comes to the altar to celebrate the Sacrifice in the Church's name. Because of the glory surrounding the altar upon which the divine Sacrifice will be made, the kiss of the priest unites the Church to Christ, its Redeemer.
Priest:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All:
Amen.
Priest: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
All: And with your spirit.
The Penitential Prayers: We recognize our guilt for past sins, express our sorrow for them, and ask that Mary, the angels, the saints, and our brothers and sisters in Christ pray for the Lord God's mercy. (The priest may select from several forms).
Priest: Brothers and sisters, let
us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred
mysteries.
Priest: Have mercy on us, O Lord.
All: For we have sinned
against you.
Priest: Show us, O Lord, your mercy.
All: And grant us your
salvation.
The Absolution:
Priest: May almighty God have
mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All:
Amen.
The Gloria: The Glory of God prayers have existed from the second century. They repeat the angels praise of God which heralded the birth of Christ on earth. Our praise is lifted again through the years as we rejoice at His coming as Lord, God, the most high Jesus Christ, who at Christmas took on our human nature while at the same time being the son of Man. This ancient hymn expresses our recognition of God's glory and love. It calls upon Christ as our holy and divine mediator, and the Holy Spirit who forever binds us together in God's love.
Priest and All: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thinks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
The Collect: The priest lifts the united prayers and petitions of the congregation to God the Father through the merits of Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.
Priest: Let us pray.
Priest: O God, who wonderfully created the dignity of human
nature and still more wonderfully restored it, grant, we pray, that we may share
in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity. Who
lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and
ever.
All: Amen.
Liturgy
of the Word
Christ is made known to us through the Old Testament which prepares us to recognize Him. In those days, God inspired men who spoke His message. Now, the New Testament Gospel reading announces His presence to us directly through His Son. Both readings bring God's message to us. Our responsibility is to respond.
The First Reading: From the Old Testament Book of the prophet Isaiah
Isaiah 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.
Priest/Reader:
The Word of the
Lord.
All:
Thanks
be to God.
The Responsorial Psalm:
This Psalm praising God, is a prayer to God,
or recommends the practice of virtue. It is sung as an interlude between
the scriptural readings. It provides yet another instructional setting and
invites the assembly to imitate the cantor who sings a repeated response to the
verses of an ancient Psalm many of which are attributed to King David. The
verses are sung first by a cantor (song leader) accompanied by instruments, the
refrain is sung by the people.
Psalm 98
Cantor: All the ends of the earth
have seen the saving power of God.
All: R/. All
the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Cantor: Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous
deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm.
All: R/. All
the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Cantor: 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.
All: R/. All
the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Cantor: All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of
by our God. Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing
praise.
All: R/. All
the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Cantor: 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.
All: R/. All
the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
The Second Reading: Taken from the New Testament, often from a letter written by St. Paul.
Priest/Reader: A Reading
from the first letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews.
Second Reading: Hebrews 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.
Priest/Reader: The word
of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
The Alleluia: An ancient expression of joy anticipating the Lord's message we will hear in the Gospel.
Cantor: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!
All: R/. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!
Cantor: A holy day has dawned upon us. Come, you
nations, and adore the Lord. Today a great light has come upon the earth.
All: R/. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!
The Gospel:
The Liturgy of the Word is completed
by the reading of the Gospel. Before its reading, the members of the
assembly trace the sign of the cross upon the forehead to indicate their mental
acceptance of the Truth, on the lips to indicate their readiness to announce it,
and over the heart to indicate their sincere desire to accept it into their
lives. The "Good News" of the Gospel tells that God's kingdom has come for
all to hear, accept, and announce to the world for its salvation. It
is God who is speaking to us. Christ comes to teach us by the example of
His life and by His own words.
Priest: Cleanse my heart and
my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And with our spirit.
Priest/Deacon: A
reading from the holy Gospel according
to John.
All: Glory
to you, Lord.
The Gospel: John 1:18
John wrote to show that Christ was
the Messiah, the Divine Son of God.
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 cam 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 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.
Priest: The
Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Priest: Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped
away.
The Priest's Sermon:
The priest develops, explains, and comments upon the Master's words,
so our minds may be
enlightened, and our
hearts enriched.
(A priestly reflection upon this Gospel)
Profession of Faith: We state in the Nicene Creed the principles of our faith in precise and definite terms.
All: I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
General Intercessions:
We pray for the needs of the pope, civic
leaders, our own needs, those of others,
the sick, the dying, those who have died, the church, and the world.
The response of all to each intercession: Lord, hear our prayer.
All: Lord,
hear our prayer.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist
Gifts of bread and wine symbolizing ourselves are presented to the priest who will offer them to God the Father. Through the Holy Spirit, they will become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ whom we receive in Holy Communion. Jesus unites Himself with us for our spiritual nourishment and strength. Today, when individuals do not present their own personal offerings of bread and wine, the monetary contribution symbolizes the material of their united sacrifice. The priest makes and offering of the bread and wine to God.
Preparation of the Bread and
Wine:
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you:
fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of
life.
All:
Blessed be God for ever.
Priest: By
the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of
Christ, who humbled himself to
share
in our humanity.
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have
received the wine we offer you; fruit
of the vine and work of human hands it will become our spiritual drink.
All: Blessed be God for ever.
Priest: With
humble spirit and contrite heart may we be accepted by you, O Lord, and may our
sacrifice in your sight this
day be pleasing to you, Lord God.
The Priest's Hands are Washed: This act was traditionally necessary because the priest handled the various gifts presented by the people. Now, the cleansing act using water reminds the priest and ourselves of the need to cleanse not only the hands but the soul. Soon, the priest's hands will hold the actual body of Christ, and we will become His dwelling place.
Priest: Wash
me o Lord, from m iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Pray, brethren, that
my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
All: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his
name, for our good and the good of
all his holy Church.
Prayer over the Gifts: Speaking in our name, the priest asks the Father to accept the gifts we offer through him.
Priest: Make acceptable, O
Lord, our oblation on this solemn day, when you manifested the reconciliation
that makes us wholly pleasing in your sight and inaugurated for us the fullness
of divine worship. Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Eucharistic Prayer:
(Number Three: The priest may select from several forms).
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your
spirit.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
All: It is right
and just.
Preface Prayer:
Priest: It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord. For on the feast of this awe-filled mystery, though invisible in his own divine nature, he has appeared visibly in ours; and begotten before all ages, he has begun to exist in time; so that, raising up in himself all that was cast down, he might restore unity to all creation and call straying humanity back to the heavenly Kingdom. And so, with all the Angels, we praise you, as in joyful celebration we acclaim:
Acclamation:
Priest
and All:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of hosts. Heaven and
earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed
is he who comes
in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Priest: You are indeed Holy, O Lord, and all you have created rightly gives you praise, for through your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, by the power and working of the Holy Spirit, you give life to all things and make them holy, and you never cease to gather a people to yourself, so that from the rising of the sun to its setting a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name.
Priest: Therefore, O Lord, we humbly implore you: by the same Spirit graciously make holy these gifts we have brought to you for consecration, that they may become the Body and Blood of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, at whose command we celebrate these mysteries.
The priest repeats
the words which Christ used at his Last Supper when He changed the bread into
His Body and the wine into His Blood. His Body and Blood are truly present
but under the appearance of bread and wine. The death of Christ is
prolonged in each of those who receive Him worthily. We apply His death to
ourselves so that we may share His glory. This moment is the most solemn
on
earth because it is Divine act which enables us to apply to ourselves the Cross
which Christ willingly took upon Himself.
The
Lord's Supper:
For on the night he was
betrayed he himself took bread, and, giving you thanks, he said the blessing,
broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you and eat of it: this is my Body which will be given up for you.
In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice, and, giving
you thanks, he said the blessing, and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it; for this is the chalice of my
Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for
you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.
Memorial Acclamation: (The priest may
select from several forms).
Priest: The
mystery of faith.
Priest
/ All: When we
eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you
come again.
We are called to die to sin and lift our very selves to God so that we become changed; to do as God would have us do, to become what God would have us become. Our own little cross can lift us into union with Christ's Cross so we may earn the joys of everlasting happiness with God the Father.
We are called to die to sin and lift our very selves to God so that we become changed; to do as God would have us do, to become what God would have us become. Our own little cross can lift us into union with Christ's Cross so we may earn the joys of everlasting happiness with God the Father.
Memorial Prayer: (The priest may select from several forms).
Priest:
Recalls Christ's Passion, Resurrection, Ascension, the Church,
the dead, and ourselves.
Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of the saving Passion of
your Son, his wondrous Resurrection and Ascension into heaven, and as we look
forward to his second coming, we offer you in thanksgiving this holy and living
sacrifice. Look, we pray, upon the oblation of your Church and,
recognizing the sacrificial Victim by whose death you willed to reconcile us to
yourself, grant that we, who are nourished by the Body and Blood of your Son and
filled with his Holy Spirit, may become one body, one spirit in Christ.
May he make of us an eternal offering to you, so that we may obtain an inheritance with your elect, especially with the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with blessed Joseph, her spouse, with your blessed Apostles and glorious Martyrs and with all the Saints, on whose constant intercession in your presence we rely for unfailing help.
May this Sacrifice of our reconciliation, we pray, O Lord, advance the peace and salvation of all the world. Be pleased to confirm in faith and charity your pilgrim Church on earth, with your servant, _____ our Pope and, _____ our Bishop, the Order of Bishops, all the clergy, and the entire people you have gained for your own. Listen graciously to the prayers of this family, whom you have summoned before you: in your compassion, O merciful Father, gather to yourself all your children scattered throughout the world.
To our departed brothers and sisters and to
all who were pleasing to you at their passing from this life, give kind
admittance to your kingdom. There we hope to enjoy for ever the fullness
of your glory through Christ our Lord, through whom you bestow on the world all
that is good.
Doxology:
Prayer of Praise: Through
him, with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Communion Rite
In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we symbolically offer ourselves to the Lord through the gifts of bread and wine. At the Consecration, we offer our very lives to be united the God the Father through the Cross of Christ. In Communion, we find that we have not died at all, but have come to life. We have surrendered ourselves to God through His Divine Son, Jesus Christ. In return become ennobled and enriched. We give up time and we get eternity, we give up our sin and we receive grace, we surrender our self-will and receive the strength of the Divine Will, we give up ourselves and we receive everything. For the Son of God says to us that unless we receive Him we shall not have Divine life in us. But it is not really we who receive Christ as it is Christ who receives us, bringing us into Himself.
God makes His Cross the very means of our salvation and our life. While we have crucified Him, His eternal love cannot be extinguished. Christ willed to give us the very life we crucified in our Redemption, the Consecration of Holy Thursday into Communion, His death into our everlasting life.
The Lord's Prayer:
Priest: At
the Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
Priest and
All: Our
Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they 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.
Priest: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
All: For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.
Prayer for Peace:
Priest: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave
you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church,
and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who
live and reign for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Priest: The peace of the Lord be with
you always.
All: And with your spirit.
Priest: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Breaking of the Bread:
Priest: May this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.
Priest and All: Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
Priest Preparation: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the
living God, who, by the will of the Father and the work of the Holy Spirit,
through your Death gave life to the world, free me by this, your most holy
Body and Blood, from all my sins and from every evil; keep me always faithful to
your commandments, and never let me be parted from you.
Priest: Behold
the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed
are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
Priest and All: Lord,
I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the world and
my soul shall be healed.
Priest: May the Body of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
May the Blood of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
Communion Antiphon:
Communion Antiphon:
Psalm 98:3
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Communion of the Faithful:
Priest:
The Body of Christ.
The Faithful: Amen.
Priest/Deacon/
Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister:
The Blood of Christ.
The Faithful: Amen.
Cleansing of the Vessels:
Priest: What has passed our lips as food, O Lord, may we possess in purity of heart, that what has been given to us in time may be our healing for eternity.
Prayer after Communion:
Priest: Let us pray.
Priest: Grant,
O merciful God, that, just as the Savior of the world, born this day, is the
author of divine generation for us, so he may be the giver even of immortality.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Concluding Rite
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And
with your spirit.
Priest: Bow
down for the blessing.
Blessing: (The priest may select
from several forms)
Priest: May the God of infinite
goodness, who by the Incarnation of his Son has driven darkness from the world
and by that glorious Birth has illumined this most holy day, drive far from you
the darkness of vice and illumine your hearts with the light of virtue.
All: Amen.
Priest: May God, who willed that the great joy of his Son's saving
Birth be announced to shepherds by the Angel, fill your minds with the gladness
he gives and make you heralds of his Gospel.
All: Amen.
Priest: And may God, who by the Incarnation brought together the
earthly and heavenly realm, fill you with the gift of his peace and favor and
make you sharers with the Church in heaven.
All: Amen.
Priest: And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the
Son, and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and remain with you for ever.
All: Amen.
Dismissal Prayer:
Priest: Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fires of hell.
Lead all souls to heaven,
especially those in most need of your mercy.
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Church Year Cycle B14-15