Vigil
Mass
"The Vision of Saint Joseph" -- by James Tissot |
FIRST
READING: Isaiah
62: 1 - 5
1
For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I
will not rest, until her vindication goes forth as brightness, and
her salvation as a burning torch.
2
The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name which the mouth of the LORD
will give.
3
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal
diadem in the hand of your God.
4
You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be
termed Desolate; but you shall be called My delight is in her, and
your land Married; for the
LORD
delights in you, and your land shall be married.
5
For as a young man marries a virgin, so shall your sons marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God
rejoice over you.
PSALM:
Psalms 89:
4 - 5, 16 - 17, 27, 29
4
'I will establish your descendants for ever, and build your throne
for all generations.'" [Selah]
5
Let the heavens praise thy wonders, O LORD, thy faithfulness in the
assembly of the holy ones!
16
who exult in thy name all the day, and extol* thy righteousness.
17
For thou art the glory of their strength; by thy favor our horn is
exalted.
27
And I will make him the first-born, the highest of the kings of the
earth.
29
I will establish his line for ever and his throne as the days of the
heavens.
SECOND
READING: Acts 13:
16 - 17, 22 - 25
16
So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: "Men of
Israel, and you that fear God, listen.
17
The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people
great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm
he led them out of it.
22
And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king; of
whom he testified and said, 'I have found in David the son of Jesse a
man after my heart, who
will
do all my will.'
23
Of this man's posterity God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as
he promised.
24
Before his coming John had preached a baptism of repentance to all
the people of Israel.
25
And as John was finishing his course, he said, 'What do you suppose
that I am? I am not he. No, but after me one is coming, the sandals
of whose feet I am not worthy
to untie.'
GOSPEL:
Matthew 1:
1 - 25
1
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son
of Abraham.
2
Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
3
and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the
father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram,
4
and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of
Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon,
5
and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed
by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse,
6
and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of
Solomon by the wife of Uriah,
7
and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of
Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa,
8
and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of
Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah,
9
and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,
10
and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos,
and Amos the father of Josiah,
11
and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of
the deportation to Babylon.
12
And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of
She-alti-el, and She-alti-el the father of Zerubbabel,
13
and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim,
and Eliakim the father of Azor,
14
and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and
Achim the father of Eliud,
15
and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan,
and Matthan the father of Jacob,
16
and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was
born, who is called Christ.
17
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen
generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen
generations, and from the deportation
to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
18
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his
mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together
she was found to be with child
of the Holy Spirit;
19
and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to
shame, resolved to send her away quietly.
20
But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to
him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to
take Mary your wife, for that which
is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit;
21
she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will
save his people from their sins."
22
All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the
prophet:
23
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name
shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us).
24
When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord
commanded him; he took his wife,
25
but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name
Jesus.
Midnight
Mass
"The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ" -- by James Tissot |
FIRST
READING: Isaiah
9: 1 - 6
1
But there will be no gloom for her that was in anguish. In the former
time he brought into contempt the land of Zeb'ulun and the land of
Naph'tali, but in the latter time he
will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the nations.
2
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who
dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.
3
Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased its joy; they
rejoice before thee as with joy at the harvest, as men rejoice when
they divide the spoil.
4
For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod
of his oppressor, thou hast broken as on the day of Mid'ian.
5
For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every
garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government
will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called "Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, Prince of Peace."
PSALM:
Psalms 96:
1 - 3, 11 - 13
1
O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!
2
Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to
day.
3
Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all
the peoples!
11
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar,
and all that fills it;
12
let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees
of the wood sing for joy
13
before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He
will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his
truth.
SECOND
READING: Titus 2:
11 - 14
11
For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men,
12
training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live
sober, upright, and godly lives in this world,
13
awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great
God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14
who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify
for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
GOSPEL:
Luke 2:
1 - 14
1
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the
world should be enrolled.
2
This was the first enrollment, when Quirin'i-us was governor of
Syria.
3
And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city.
4
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to
Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he
was of the house and lineage of
David,
5
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
6
And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.
7
And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling
cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them
in the inn.
8
And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping
watch over their flock by night.
9
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord
shone around them, and they were filled with fear.
10
And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold, I bring
you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people;
11
for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is
Christ the Lord.
12
And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in
swaddling cloths and lying in a manger."
13
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God and saying,
14
"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with
whom he is pleased!"
Dawn
Mass
"The Adoration of the Shepherds" -- by James Tissot |
FIRST
READING: Isaiah
62: 11 - 12
11
Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the
daughter of Zion, "Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his
reward is with him, and his recompense
before him."
12
And they shall be called The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD;
and you shall be called Sought out, a city not forsaken.
PSALM:
Psalms 97:
1, 6, 11 - 12
1
The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be
glad!
6
The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold
his glory.
11
Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
12
Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy
name!
SECOND
READING: Titus 3:
4 - 7
4
but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
5
he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in
virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal
in the Holy Spirit,
6
which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7
so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope
of eternal life.
GOSPEL:
Luke 2:
15 - 20
15
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said
to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing
that has happened, which the Lord
has made known to us."
16
And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe
lying in a manger.
17
And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told
them concerning this child;
18
and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.
19
But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.
20
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they
had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Daytime
Mass
"The Adoration of the Magi" -- by James Tissot |
FIRST
READING: Isaiah
52: 7 - 10
7
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good
tidings, who publishes peace, who brings good tidings of good, who
publishes salvation, who says
to Zion, "Your God reigns."
8
Hark, your watchmen lift up their voice, together they sing for joy;
for eye to eye they see the return of the LORD to Zion.
9
Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem; for
the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10
The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations;
and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
PSALM:
Psalms 98:
1 - 6
1
O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His
right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
2
The LORD has made known his victory, he has revealed his vindication
in the sight of the nations.
3
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of
Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into
joyous song and sing praises!
5
Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound
of melody!
6
With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before
the King, the LORD!
SECOND
READING: Hebrews
1: 1 - 6
1
In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the
prophets;
2
but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he
appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the
world.
3
He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature,
upholding the universe by his word of power. When he had made
purification for sins, he sat down
at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
4
having become as much superior to angels as the name he has obtained
is more excellent than theirs.
5
For to what angel did God ever say, "Thou art my Son, today I
have begotten thee"? Or again, "I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son"?
6
And again, when he brings the first-born into the world, he says,
"Let all God's angels worship him."
GOSPEL:
John 1: 1
- 18 Or John
1: 1 - 5, 9 - 14
1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God.
2
He was in the beginning with God;
3
all things were made through him, and without him was not anything
made that was made.
4
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome
it.
6
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7
He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might
believe through him.
8
He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.
9
The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.
10
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the
world knew him not.
11
He came to his own home, and his own people received him not.
12
But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power
to become children of God;
13
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the
will of man, but of God.
14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and
truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the
Father.
15
(John bore witness to him, and cried, "This was he of whom I
said, `He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before
me.'")
16
And from his fulness have we all received, grace upon grace.
17
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through
Jesus Christ.
18
No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the
Father, he has made him known.
Or
1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God.
2
He was in the beginning with God;
3
all things were made through him, and without him was not anything
made that was made.
4
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome
it.
9
The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.
10
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the
world knew him not.
11
He came to his own home, and his own people received him not.
12
But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power
to become children of God;
13
who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the
will of man, but of God.
14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and
truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the
Father.