Sunday, December 24, 2023

25-DEC-'23, The Nativity of the Lord

 


The Nativity of the Lord

LECTIONARY

16


FIRST READING

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.


PSALM

Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6


Response: 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.

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 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.


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.


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.


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 came to be through him,

and without him nothing came 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 a 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.


Reflection 1

One Bread, One Body


KEEP CHRISTMAS IN CHRIST


“This enduring love came through Jesus Christ.” —John 1:17


For hundreds of years, the coming of the Messiah had been prophesied. “They name Him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful” (Is 9:5-6).


However, when the Messiah finally was born, “there was in Him no stately bearing to make us look at Him, nor appearance that would attract us to Him. He was spurned and avoided by men” (Is 53:2-3). “The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their rulers failed to recognize Him, and in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets which we read sabbath after sabbath” (Acts 13:27). “He was in the world, and through Him the world was made, yet the world did not know Who He was. To His own He came, yet His own did not accept Him” (Jn 1:10-11). Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger because there was already no room for Him in the hearts of many (Lk 2:7).


Jesus, emptied of His glory (Phil 2:7), all too human, the suffering Messiah, continues to be easily rejected. He is so easily rejected that over a billion people can celebrate His birthday without giving Him a present, or even a thought. Will you be among the shepherds who notice Jesus — or even among the wise men who worship Him? Will you be like Mary and Joseph and let the Lord totally disrupt your life — all for the Baby Jesus? Will you put Christ ahead of Christmas?


Reject anything in Christmas not pleasing to Christ. Accept Him as Lord and Savior of Christmas.


Prayer:  Father, give me a “Mary” Christmas. May I love Jesus as Mary does.


Promise:  God “has spoken to us through His Son.” —Heb 1:2


Praise:  “Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King.” Alleluia!


Reflection 2

by Tamora Whitney

Creighton University's English Department


I love Midnight Mass! I grew up without much religion. My family didn’t go to church regularly-- I converted to Catholicism when I was in college at a Sisters of Mercy women’s college. But on Christmas, my family travelled to visit my grandparents, and they belonged to a church in their small town. We always had our Christmas with presents and all on Christmas Eve – our house was one of Santa’s first stops. And after Christmas Eve supper then presents and all, we would go to late church. It wasn’t Catholic, it was Methodist. But it was so special. I loved the darkened church and all the candles. I sang all the Christmas carols. My sister and I would wear a brand new Christmas outfit or coat that we had just opened that evening. I’m more of a night owl, so getting up for morning church was always hard for me. Church at night was a real treat. After I became Catholic I was always more a fan of the vigil Mass. And Midnight Christmas Mass just feels so much like Christmas and so special.


“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”  The candles in the dark church are showing the way. The baby in the manger is really God. The Christmas carols are songs of praise and wonder. What a wonderful special thing, to welcome God right here in our little church and to all sing at the wonder of it all.


What a strange circumstance this is. A poor family with no place to stay, travelling for government documentation, has a baby in a barn. This should seem the least auspicious, but it is really the most. He is “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 this is where it all happens, every year, at midnight Mass, we know that Jesus is born, a poor baby, who comes to save us all.


Prayers


My dearest Mother, you lived a life of perfect virtue and holiness. You continuously pondered the mysteries of God in your heart and always surrendered to the will of God with perfection. Please inspire me so that I may not only learn from you but also be able to share in the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit given to you. Mother Mary, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.


God of Eternity, I thank You for Your perfect love and for its infinite nature and depth.  May I spend my eternity plunging into this love, never growing weary of receiving it and becoming more immersed in its beauty.  Jesus, I trust in You.


Lord our God, with the birth of your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, your glory breaks on the world. As we celebrate his first coming, give us a foretaste of the joy that you will grant us when the fullness of his glory has filled the earth.


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