The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) – Mass During the Night – December 24th, 2020
ENTRANCE RITE
Entrance Antiphon (Introit)
The Lord said to me: You are my Son. It is I who have begotten you this day. Psalm 2:7
Entrance Song
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
My brother and sisters, to prepare ourselves to celebrate the mysterier, let us call to mind our sins.
I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Lord, have mercy,
Lord, have mercy,
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy,
Lord, have mercy,
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you, we bless you,
we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory.
Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.
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.
OPENING PRAYER
O God, who have made this most sacred night
radiant with the splendor of the true light,
grant, we pray, that we, who have known the mysteries of his light on earth,
may also delight in his glad-ness in heaven.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST READING
A reading from the prophet Isaiah
A son will be given to us. ( Is 9:1-6 )
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing,
as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
as people make merry when dividing spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them,
the pole on their shoulder,
and the rod of their taskmaster
you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
For every boot that tramped in battle,
every cloak rolled in blood,
will be burned as fuel for flames.
For a child is born to us, a son is given us;
upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,
Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.
His dominion is vast
and forever peaceful,
from David’s throne, and over his kingdom,
which he confirms and sustains
by judgment and justice,
both now and forever.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
( Ps 96: 1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13 )
Response: Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
They shall exult before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to Titus
The appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. ( Ti 2:11-14 )
Beloved:
The grace of God has appeared, saving all
and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires
and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age,
as we await the blessed hope,
the appearance of the glory of our great God
and savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness
and to cleanse for himself a people as his own,
eager to do what is good.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Alleluia, alleluia.
I proclaim to you good news of great joy:
today a Savior is born for us,
Christ the Lord. ( Lk 2:10-11 )
Alleluia.
GOSPEL
There has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ( Lk 2:1-14 )
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke
Glory to you, Lord.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment,
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
PROFESSION OF FAITH
I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
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,
(today, at the words that follow up to and including and became man, all kneel down)
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 forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.
Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
Our response is: Lord, hear our prayer.
For the Church – that we be a people of light whose actions are just and transparent, a people of peace who love neighbour and care for the poor, and a people of faith who proclaim the good news. Lord, hear our prayer.
For nations with civil unrest – that people listen with love to each other, learn to cherish each other’s differences and be prepared to make changes to accommodate each other in love. Lord, hear our prayer.
For the whole human family – that the flood of grief which has arisen from all parts of the world, because of Covid-19, will become the seed for an enriched sense of community across the whole human family. Lord, hear our prayer.
For babies, children and families – that families will delight in the wonder of new life, appreciate the beauty that lies within each child, and nourish each family member, encouraging them in fullness of life. Lord, hear our prayer.
For each person gathered here – that through pondering the mystery of the incarnation in the baby in the crib, we discover and ponder anew the wonder of the incarnation throughout the whole of creation. Lord, hear our prayer.
For the planet on which we live – that the whole of humanity will have a renewed and deepened sense of gratitude for the Earth, our common home, and for the wonder of life. Lord, hear our prayer.
THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
Offertory Song
PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS
May the oblation of this day’s feast
be pleasing to you, O Lord, we pray,
that through this most holy exchange
we may be found in the likeness of Christ,
in whom our nature is united to you.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.
PREFACE and EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Preface II of the Nativity of the Lord:
[The restoration of all things in the Incarnation]
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:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts…
COMMUNION RITE
Communion Antiphon
The Word became flesh, and we have seen his glory. John 1:14
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Grant, we pray, O Lord, our God,
that we,who are gladdened by participation
in the feast of our Redeemer’s Nativity,
may through an honorable way of life become worthy of union with him.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.