The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Prayer for the Morning
The Savior is born!
Come, let us adore him, alleluia!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia!
HYMN
What Child is this who laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
Why lies he in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spear shall pierce him through,
The cross be borne for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
So bring him incense, gold and myrrh,
Come peasant, king, to own him;
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone him.
Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby.
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.
PSALM 96:1-3, 11-13
Today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. (Lk 2:11)
A strange ruler, an unexpected judge: the Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace, born as a child among the world’s unimportant people. From the beginning, the Savior upsets every standard by which the unredeemed world has ruled itself. To celebrate Christmas in truth is to allow our eyes to be opened to God’s view of reality.
O sing a new song to the Lord,
sing to the Lord all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name.
Proclaim his help day by day,
tell among the nations his glory
and his wonders among all the peoples.
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad,
let the sea and all within it thunder praise,
let the land and all it bears rejoice,
all the trees of the wood shout for joy
at the presence of the Lord for he comes,
he comes to rule the earth.
With justice he will rule the world,
he will judge the peoples with his truth.
Glory to the Father….
Word of God (Isaiah 9:1, 5)
The people who walked in darkness/ have seen a great light;/ Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom/ a light has shone.
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.
And we have seen his glory! (cf. Jn 1:14)
CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH
The Lord said to me: “You are my Son./ It is I who have begotten you this day.” (Ps 2:7)
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet
of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father…
INTERCESSIONS
Let us acclaim Christ the Lord:
R/We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you!
O Wisdom of God, you are our wisdom: R/
O Lord of lords, you are the newborn Child: R/
O Root of Jesse, you are the vine and we the branches: R/
O Key of David, you are the key to the gates of heaven: R/
O Dayspring, you are the light of the world: R/
O Ruler of the world, you are the Lord of lords: R/
O Emmanuel, you are God-with-us: R/
(Personal intentions)
Our Father….
Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace: we bless you for the gift of your great light. May all the world rejoice in your coming, O Savior and Lord, who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
