Greeting (See Second Reading)
In our own time God has spoken to us
through his own Son,
the radiant light of God's glory
through whom he made everything.
May this Son, Jesus the Lord, be with you.
R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
Many times in the course of history God spoke and his Word was effective and liberating. He spoke, and the world was made. He spoke, and man and woman were created. He spoke, and he created the free nation of Israel, his Chosen People. But Israel refused to listen to God in the prophets and the gloom of sin over the world settled also over his people. God did not give up on humanity. He spoke his definitive Word, Jesus, and Jesus came and was born a child of people. He came to save us. Do we listen to his Word? Do we give him our word of acceptance and love?
Penitential Act
We hear God's Word in the Good News
and in the life of Jesus.
Do we respond to Jesus' message?
Let us examine ourselves.
(PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, you have brought to all nations
God's justice and truth and love:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, we sing a new song to you,
we sing out our joy at your coming:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, we acclaim you as our Lord
for you have worked wonders among us:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Be merciful to us, Lord,
and speak your Word that sets us free from sin.
Lead us to the joy of everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray
that God's Word may be alive in us today
(PAUSE)
Our Faithful God,
you make yourself known
and speak to us through Jesus Christ,
your image and your living Word.
Open our ears and hearts,
that we may receive your Word and keep it.
Let your Word become flesh among us
also in our words of peace and truth
and in our deeds of justice and love,
of friendship and self-effacing service.
May this be the way by which people recognize
that your Son is alive among us today,
and may they praise you for ever. R/ Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction: The Good News of Liberation. God announces liberation to his people in captivity. This liberation is brought to us today by Jesus.
Second Reading Introduction: Now God Speaks To Us Through His Son. God has often spoken to people, but since the coming of his Son on earth, he speaks to us his definitive word, Jesus. In him we see what God means and who God is.
Gospel Introduction: And the Word Became Flesh. The evangelist John speaks to us of the mystery of Jesus: he is the image of the Father, his Word became a man, his light in our darkness, God living among us. Do we accept him as he is?
General Intercessions
God speaks to us his living word, Jesus. Let us now speak our fumbling words to Jesus, our Lord and brother, as we say. R/ Speak your word to us, Lord.
- Jesus, for all who speak to the People of God the liberating words of your Good News, that they themselves may be filled with it and out of this fullness proclaim it with conviction and warmth, we pray: R/ Speak your word to us, Lord.
- Jesus, for all who hear your living word, that they may receive it, treasure it in their hearts, and let it bear fruits of justice and love, we pray: R/ Speak your word to us, Lord.
- Jesus, for all who do not yet know you, that the lives of many convinced Christians may open their eyes to you, the true light of the world, we pray: R/ Speak your word to us, Lord.
- Jesus for those who speak words of bitterness and cry out their loneliness and misery, that we may speak to them comforting words of hope, we pray: R/ Speak your word to us, Lord.
- Jesus, for your body on earth, our communities, that we may live in peace with God and each other, and that we may be of one heart and soul, we pray: R/ Speak your word to us, Lord.
Lord Jesus, you entered our world and know our needs and desires. Do not always give what we ask but what we really need and stay with us, now and for ever.
R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Our loving God and Father,
you let Jesus speak his mighty word
and these gifts of bread and wine
become his flesh and blood
for the life of the world.
Let your Son also speak to us
from heart to heart,
that he may fill our empty words
with the power of integrity and truth
and that he may change us, timid as we are,
into people of peace and courage,
who live without compromise
the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
Break into shouts of joy together, for the Lord has come to save his people. We thank and praise the Father in heaven for the gift of his Son to us and to the world.
Invitation to the Lord's Prayer
God will hear our stammering words if we pray to him with Jesus: R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us, Lord, from the darkness
of sin, of our fears, of all evil.
Open our eyes to the light
of your forgiveness and love,
that your peace may be with us.
Make us free for anyone who needs us,
that together we may be your new people
who build up in hope and joy
your world and your kingdom.
Lead us to our future in you
through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Prayer for Peace
Lord Jesus Christ,
you entered our world
as the Father's Word of peace.
Give your people and every nation
a peace based on justice and truth.
Dispose us to offer to one another
signs of reconciliation
and to speak words of welcome and peace.
Unite us in the peace of your kingdom
where you live for ever and ever. R/ Amen.
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus, God's living Word,
the true light that shines on all people.
Happy are those who receive him,
for he makes them children of God. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
Lord God, almighty Father,
you have filled us with the Word
and the body of Jesus your Son.
You have entrusted your Son to us;
may his word of Good News be on our lips
to tell it to one another
and may we give shape and life to it
by building up his community of justice and love.
Let us become with him
your word and your gift,
and your sign of hope to the world.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
God has spoken to us here today
not in mere promises
but in the living person of his own Son.
He came as the light brightening our darkness.
How could we still be in the dark?
He has made us children of God.
Do we live as sons and daughters of God?
He came to bring light and life
to all the world.
Have we spread his light?
In the joy of Christmas,
let us not forget our task
to give him to the world.
And may God bless and keep you all:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Go in the peace of Christ
and bear witness to his love.
R/ Thanks be to God.
****
CHRISTMAS Evening
Blessing: God our Father, on this night
your Son Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary for us and for our salvation:
✠ bless
this crib, which we have prepared to celebrate that holy birth; may all who see
it be strengthened in faith and receive the fullness of the joy life he came to
bring, who is alive and reigns for ever and ever.
Penite:
Jesus, light of heaven born today in the midst of our
darkness,
-Jesus,
joy of God, our creator appearing today amidst the sadness of the world,
-Jesus, splendour of the glory of God and peace to all whom he loves.
Opening: We bless you, God our Father, each day you amaze us through your Word, the one that you reveal through your servants and prophets - the one that you proclaim through your Son Jesus, the one that you whisper in the silence of our hearts and the one that you made flesh through Mary, our mother. May this Christmas not only fill our hearts with light and life, but prepare us for that day when the sun and the stars will dance for you, when the morning star will shine in our hearts, when the wolf will lie with the lamb, when your peace will triumph on earth. Let us be with you in joyful song to praise you eternally.
Offertory: Father,
with bread and wine we celebrate the family feast of your Son. He is one of us,
and we are happy. Let our joy be shared by all, that people from all races and
nations may come and share his table. Let there be no end to our feast and no
limit to our love and generosity, for now there lives among us your Son, Jesus
Communion:
You are the God of a thousand faces, and yet nothing
can reveal you completely except the face of the child of Bethlehem. We pray
that we may manifest the Christmas mystery of revealing your incarnate love
to the world. May Your word be born in our silences, your love be
revealed in our humble fidelities, your promise be confirmed in our fragile
faith. May the sign of your birth again kindle our faith and our hope and help
us advance toward the Day which will be yours. Through Christ. Amen.
