The Nativity of the Lord

1st Reading – Isaiah 52:7-10

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger and the preacher of peace! Announcing good and preaching peace, they are saying to Zion, “Your God will reign!”

The voice of your watchmen. They have lifted up their voice, they shall praise together: for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall convert Zion

Rejoice and give praise together, O ye deserts of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people: he has redeemed Jerusalem.

The Lord has prepared his holy arm in the sight of all the Gentiles: and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

 

Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 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.

 

2nd Reading – Hebrews 1:1-6

Brothers and sisters:

In many places and in many ways, in past times, God spoke to the fathers through the Prophets; lastly, in these days, he has spoken to us through the Son, whom he appointed as the heir of all things, and through whom he made the world.

And since the Son is the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and is carrying all things by the Word of his virtue, thereby accomplishing a purging of sins, he sits at the right hand of Majesty on high.

And having been made so much better than the Angels, he has inherited a name so much greater than theirs.

For to which of the Angels has he ever said: “You are my Son; today have I begotten you?” Or again: “I will be a Father to him, and he shall be a Son to me?”

And again, when he brings the only-begotten Son into the world, he says: “And let all the Angels of God adore 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 – John 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 were made through Him, and nothing that was made was made without Him.

Life was in Him, and Life was the light of men.

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There was a man sent by God, whose name was John.

He arrived as a witness to offer testimony about the Light, so that all would believe through him.

He was not the Light, but he was to offer testimony about the Light.

The true Light, which illuminates every man, was coming into this world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not recognize him.

He went to his own, and his own did not accept him.

Yet whoever did accept him, those who believed in his name, he gave them the power to become the sons of God.

These are born, not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh, and he lived among us, and we saw his glory, glory like that of an only-begotten son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John offers testimony about him, and he cries out, saying: “This is the one about whom I said: ‘He who is to come after me, has been placed ahead of me, because he existed before me.’”

And from his fullness, we all have received, even grace for grace.

For the law was given though Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one ever saw God; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he himself has described him.

 

Or John 1:1-5, 9-14

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 were made through Him, and nothing that was made was made without Him.

Life was in Him, and Life was the light of men.

And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

The true Light, which illuminates every man, was coming into this world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not recognize him.

He went to his own, and his own did not accept him.

Yet whoever did accept him, those who believed in his name, he gave them the power to become the sons of God.

These are born, not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh, and he lived among us, and we saw his glory, glory like that of an only-begotten son from the Father, full of grace and truth.