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INTRODUCTION
from the Roman Martyrology

Leader:  

In the twenty-fourth day of the month of December;  
In the year five-thousand one-hundred and ninety-nine from the creation of the world,
when in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth;  
In the year two-thousand nine-hundred and fifty-seven from the flood;  
In the year two-thousand and fifty-one from the birth of Abraham;  
In the year one-thousand five-hundred and ten
from the going forth of the people of Israel out of Egypt under Moses;  
In the year one-thousand and thirty-two from the anointing of David as king;  
In the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel;  
In the one-hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;  
In the year seven-hundred and fifty-two from the foundation of the city of Rome;  
In the forty-second year of the reign of the Emperor Octavian Augustus;  
In the sixth age of the world, while the whole earth was at peace —  
     JESUS CHRIST, eternal God and the Son of the eternal Father,
willing to consecrate the world by His gracious coming,
having been conceived of the Holy Ghost,
and the nine months of His conception being now accomplished, 
was born in Bethlehem of Judah of the Virgin Mary, made man.
The birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the flesh. 

All: Thanks be to God. 
 

PSALM
from Psalm 109

All: 
This day Christ is born; this day the Savior hath appeared;
this day angels are singing on earth, archangels are rejoicing.
This day the just are glad and say,
Glory to God in high heaven, alleluia. 

Leader:
The Lord said to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool." 
The scepter of your power the Lord will stretch forth from Sion:
"Rule in the midst of your enemies. 
Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;
before the day-star, like the dew, I have begotten you." 
The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent:
"You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedech." 
The Lord is at your right hand;
he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. 
He will do judgment on the nations, heaping up corpses;
he will crush heads over the wide earth. 
From the brook by the wayside he will drink;
therefore will he lift up his head. 
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. 
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. 

All:
This day Christ is born; this day the Savior hath appeared;
this day angels are singing on earth, archangels are rejoicing.
This day the just are glad and say,
Glory to God in high heaven, alleluia.

GOSPEL READING
Luke 2:1-14

Reader: 

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 Christ 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.”

Leader: The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

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If you are visiting during the Christmas season proceed with the "Glory to God" below:
 

GLORY TO GOD

All: 
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you,
we bless you,
we adore you,
we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
     have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
     receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
     have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.

Leader: O Lord, hear my prayer. 
All: And let my cry come to You. 

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Leader: Let us pray.

O Divine Redeemer Jesus Christ, prostrate before Your crib, I believe You are the God of infinite Majesty, even though I do see You here as a helpless babe.

I humbly adore and thank You for having so humbled Yourself for my salvation as to will to be born in a stable. I thank You for all You wished to suffer for me in Bethlehem, for Your poverty and humility, for Your nakedness, tears, cold and sufferings.

Would that I could show You that tenderness which Your Virgin Mother had toward You, and love You as she did.

Would that I could praise You with the joy of the angels, that I could kneel before You with the faith of St. Joseph, the simplicity of the shepherds.

Uniting myself with these first adorers at the crib, I offer You the homage of my heart, and I beg that You would be born spiritually in my soul.

Make me reflect in some degree the virtues of Your admirable nativity. Fill me with that spirit of renunciation, of poverty, of humility, which prompted You to assume the weakness of our nature, and to be born amid destitution and suffering.

Grant that from this day forward, I may in all things seek Your greater glory, and may enjoy that peace promised to men of good will. 

All: Amen.
 

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ADVENT @ ST. LUKE