meeting Christ in the liturgy library

CHRISTMAS and the Christmas Season

YEAR A
YEAR B
YEAR C

Mass at Midnight,YEAR A B C

Mass at Midnight, CHRISTMAS A,B,C
Isaiah 9:1-6; Psalm 95; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The customary reading for Christmas from the Roman Martyrology, often proclaimed prior to the celebration of Christmas Mass at Midnight:

In the year 5199 since the creation of the world, when God made heaven and earth;
in the year 2759 since the flood;
in the year 2015 since Abraham's birth;
in the year 1510 since the exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt under the guidance of Moses;
in the year 1032 since David was anointed king.
In the 65th week of the year according to Daniel's prophecy;
in the 194th Olympiad, in the year 732 after the building of Rome;
in the 42nd year of the reign of Octavian Augustus, when there was peace in the whole world;
in the 6th era of the world's history;
Jesus Christ, eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, desired to sanctify the world by His gracious coming.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and now after nine months (all kneel)
He is born at Bethlehem in the tribe of Judah as Man from the Virgin Mary.
THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN THE FLESH.

I look forward to meeting you here again next week as, together, we "meet Christ in the liturgy" - Father Cusick (Publish with permission.)

Christmas Day, YEAR A B C

Isaiah 52, 7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1, 1-6; John 1, 1-18
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The nativity of the Lord, the blessed feast of Christmas, is about the gift of God that none of us can ever repay. It is not only the birth of Christ; perhaps it is more the birthday of all those blessed to be baptized into the saving death and resurrection of our incarnate Lord.
The Catechism has this to say about the Incarnation: "Jesus is conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary's womb because he is the New Adam, who inaugurates the new creation: 'The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.'(1 Cor 15:45, 47) From his conception, Christ's humanity is filled with the Holy Spirit, for God "gives him the Spirit without measure.'(Jn 3:34) From 'his fullness' as the head of redeemed humanity 'we have all received, grace upon grace.'(Jn 1:16)" (CCC 504)
THE CHRISTMAS MYSTERY
"Jesus was born in a humble stable, into a poor family.(Lk 2:6-7) Simple shepherds were the first witnesses to this event. In this poverty heaven's glory was made manifest.(Lk 2:8-20) The Church never tires of singing the glory of this night:
The Virgin today brings into the world the Eternal
And the earth offers a cave to the Inaccessible.
The angels and shepherds praise him
And the magi advance with the star,
For you are born for us,
Little Child, God eternal!" (Kontakion of Romanos the Melodist) (CCC 525)

We sing with the angels in each Mass as we anticipate our own meeting with the incarnate Lord born this day, and at each liturgy, in the Eucharist: "Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus Deus sabaoth, pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua, hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini, hosanna in excelsis."

Looking forward to meeting you here again next week as, together, we "meet Christ in the liturgy" - Father Cusick (Publish with permission only)

YEAR B

YEAR C