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Christmas Vigil
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Mass
readings for Christmas Masses
Is
62:1-5
For
Zion's sake I will not be silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will
not be quiet,
Until
her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her victory
like a burning torch.Nations shall behold your vindication, and all kings
your glory; You shall be called by a new name pronounced by the mouth of
the LORD. You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD, a royal
diadem held by your God. No more shall men call you "Forsaken," or your
land "Desolate," But you shall be called "My Delight," and your land "Espoused."
For the LORD delights in you, and makes your land his spouse. As a young
man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you; And as a bridegroom
rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you.
Acts
13:16-17,22-25
So
Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said, "Fellow Israelites and you
others who are God-fearing, listen. The God of this people Israel chose
our ancestors and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of
Egypt.
With
uplifted arm he led them out of it. Then he removed him and raised up David
as their king; of him he testified, 'I have found David, son of Jesse,
a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish.' From this man's
descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior,
Jesus. John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance
to all the people of Israel; and as John was completing his course, he
would say, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold,
one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his
feet.'
Matthew
1:1-25
The
book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob
the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez
and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron
the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father
of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose
mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king. David
became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.Solomon
became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the
father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the
father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah
became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father
of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father
of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah
and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile. After the Babylonian
exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of
Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of
Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became
the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father
of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father
of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born
Jesus who is called the Messiah. Thus the total number of generations from
Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian
exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah,
fourteen generations.
Now
this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary
was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found
with child through the holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a
righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce
her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the
Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through
the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear
a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people
from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said
through the prophet:
"Behold,
the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall
name him Emmanuel," which means "God is with us."
When
Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took
his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a son,
and he named him Jesus.
Midnight
Mass
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 men 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!
Ti 2:11-14
For 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 the great God
and of our 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.

Lk
2:1-14
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 Messiah 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."
Mass
at Dawn
Is
62:11-12
See,
the LORD proclaims to the ends of the earth: Say to daughter Zion,
your
savior comes! Here is his reward with him, his recompense before him.
They
shall be called the holy people, the redeemed of the LORD, And you shall
be called "Frequented," a city that is not forsaken.

Ti
3:4-7
But
when the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because
of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy,
he
saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the holy Spirit,
whom
he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we
might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
Lk
2:15-20

When
the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another,
"Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place,
which the Lord has made known to us." So they went in haste and found Mary
and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this,
they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All
who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And
Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.

Mass during Day
Is
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 watchmen 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.
Heb
1:1-6
In
times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through
the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a 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 first-born into the
world, he says: "Let all the angels of God worship him."

Jn
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.
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