Catholic Caucus: Christmas Mass Readings, 12-25-04, Nativity of the Lord, Mass at Midnight

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 12-25-04 | New American Bible

[Salvation]

December 25, 2004
Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Mass at Midnight

Reading I
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 people 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!


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 96: 1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13

R (Lk 2:11) Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
They shall exult before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.


Reading II
Ti 2:11-14

Beloved:
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 our great God
and 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.


Gospel
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 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."

[Salvation]

For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

[Salvation]

Alleluia Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Alleluia Ping List.

[Salvation]

I will post all the Masses separately today and tomorrow.

Mass during the day-24th
Vigil Mass-24th
Mass at Midnight-25th (above)
Mass at Dawn-25th
Mass during the day-25th

So you have a choice here!

[Salvation]

[Salvation]

[Salvation]

Advent 2004: Symbols, Meanings, Facts, Calendar

Reflections for Advent and Christmas, [November 28, 2004 - January 9, 2005]

[the invisib1e hand]

With a God and Savior like this, how dare we shrink back from being the agency of His Kingdom come on Earth as it in heaven. Who could ask for a bigger project, a more compelling mission, a more exciting, thrilling, dramatic, dangerous and rewarding purpose?

I think the Founders understood this. Our President undertands this, and we are blessed to have such a leader. May that vision catch on again.

[Salvation]

Fantastic Reflection. Couldn't agree more!

[Salvation]

American Cathlic's Saint of the Day

December 24, 2004

Christmas at Greccio

What better way to prepare for the arrival of the Christ Child than to take a brief journey to Greccio, the spot in central Italy where St. Francis of Assisi created the first Christmas crib in the year 1223.

Francis, recalling a visit he had made years before to Bethlehem, resolved to create the manger he had seen there. The ideal spot was a cave in nearby Greccio. He would find a baby (we’re not sure if it was a live infant or the carved image of a baby), hay upon which to lay him, an ox and an ass to stand beside the manger. Word went out to the people of the town. At the appointed time they arrived carrying torches and candles.

One of the friars began celebrating Mass. Francis himself gave the sermon. His biographer, Thomas of Celano, recalls that Francis “stood before the manger…overcome with love and filled with a wonderful happiness…” For Francis, the simple celebration was meant to recall the hardships Jesus suffered even as an infant, a savior who chose to become poor for our sake, a truly human Jesus.

Tonight, as we pray around the Christmas cribs in our homes, we welcome into our hearts that same Savior.

Comment:

God’s choice to give human beings free will was, from the beginning, a decision to be helpless in human hands. With the birth of Jesus, God made the divine helplessness very clear to us, for a human infant is totally dependent on the loving response of other people. Our natural response to a baby is to open our arms, as Francis did, to the infant of Bethlehem and to the God who made us all.

[Salvation]

A Merry Christmas to all of you and may you be blessed with abundances of all kinds during the New Year.

Salvation

[Salvation]

Saturday, December 25, 2004
The Nativity of the Lord - Christmas (Solemnity)

Midnight First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel: Dawn First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel: During the Day First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel:

Isaiah 9:1-6 Psalm 96:1-3, 11-13 Titus 2:11-14 Luke 2:1-14 Isaiah 62:11-12 Psalm 97:1, 6, 11-12 Titus 3:4-7 Luke 2:15-20 Isaiah 52:7-10 Psalm 98:1-6 Hebrews 1:1-6 John 1:1-18 or 1:1-5, 9-14 Celebrate the feast of Christmas every day, even every moment in the interior temple of your spirit, remaining like a baby in the bosom of the heavenly Father, where you will be reborn each moment in the Divine Word, Jesus Christ.  -- St. Paul of the Cross

[Smartass]

Apostles' Creed -

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.
He decended to the dead.
On the third day He rose again.
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Our Father -

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary -

Hail Mary, full of grace! The Lord is with you;
blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit
of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for
us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory Be -

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.

Hail, Holy Queen -

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness
and our hope! To you we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To you we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this
valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, your eyes
of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the
blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet
Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may
be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

O God -

O God, whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection,
has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech
Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain, and
obtain what they promise, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

O My Jesus -

O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us form the fires of hell and lead
all souls to Heaven, especially those who are most in need of Thy mercy.

---

[26lemoncharlie]

Nicene Creed
Credo in unum Deum,
Patrem omnipotentem,
factorem caeli et terrae,
visibilium omnium et invisibilium,
Et in unum Dominum Iesum Christum,
Filium Dei unigenitum,
et ex Patre natum, ante omnia saecula,
Deum de Deo, lumen de Lumine,
Deum verum de Deo vero,
genitum, non factum, consubstantialem Patri:
per quem omnia facta sunt.
Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de caelis.

All bow during the following two lines:
Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto
ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est.
Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato;
passus et sepultus est,
et resurrexit tertia die, secundem Scripturas,
et ascendit in caelum, sedet ad dexteram Patris.
Et iterum venturus est cum gloria,
iudicare vivos et mortuos,
cuius regni non erit finis.
Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem:
qui ex Patre Filioque procedit.
Qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur:
qui locutus est per prophetas.
Et nuam, sanctam, catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam.
Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum.
Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum,
et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen.

[oceanperch]

Is Mass at Midnight this year?

Last year it was at 10pm here on the coast.

The last two years have been colder then in the past here on the coast so King Vanity is homebound so that he doesn't freeze his lungs via the trach.

He had lower lobe pnemonia again this year but I was able to get right on it with Chinese Meds and Western Antibiotics cleared the crackles withen 12 hrs he coughed up what was so deep. Very pleased.

He has had visitors daily this past week up to a family that came today.

So I am peopled out, I am looking forward to a day of peace and quiet on Christmas. I officially declared it. LOL

Cooking is all done, dogs are in Heaven with the doggie cookies I made.

The canines of friends also gave them rave reviews.

Merry Christmas all and to all a good night. Love, Oceanperch, King Vanity, and the Labradors St. Kolbe, Porter and the tyrant pup Hunter.

[Salvation]

Our Mass was at 11:00 PM preceded by caroling at 10:30.

It was a full church, but not the blowout attendance that we had at the 4:00 PM Mass (a lot of families)! We even hahd people sitting in the vestibule.

[Salvation]

FEAST OF THE DAY

Today, the Solemnity of Christmas is the climax of the Advent
season of preparation. It is the fulfillment of all that we were
preparing for and reminds us of the historical event of Jesus' birth as
a human. It also reminds us that Jesus will come again at the end of
time, which we must always be ready for, because we do not know
when it is coming.

The gift giving that we do at Christmas is in imitation of God's love
and gift for us, Jesus. Our generosity should bring us closer to God
because we are imitating him. We should not worry about fulfilling all
the wants and desires of our loved ones, we should only take care to
imitate God and show our love to the world.


QUOTE OF THE DAY

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 the Messiah and
Lord. -Lk 2:9-11


TODAY IN HISTORY

336 1st recorded celebration of Christmas on Dec 25 occurs in Rome
795 Pope Adrian I dies
1223 St Francis of Assisi assembles 1st Nativity scene (Greccio, Italy)


TODAY'S TIDBIT

Many times Christmas is abbreviated Xmas. This could have originated from
shortening Christ to its first letter in the Greek spelling of the word.


INTENTION FOR THE DAY

On this feast of Jesus' birth, please pray for all the unborn and for an
end to abortion.

[annalex]

Lk 2:1-14
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
1	And it came to pass that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled.	factum est autem in diebus illis exiit edictum a Caesare Augusto ut describeretur universus orbis
2	This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria.	haec descriptio prima facta est praeside Syriae Cyrino
3	And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city.	et ibant omnes ut profiterentur singuli in suam civitatem
4	And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David.	ascendit autem et Ioseph a Galilaea de civitate Nazareth in Iudaeam civitatem David quae vocatur Bethleem eo quod esset de domo et familia David
5	To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.	ut profiteretur cum Maria desponsata sibi uxore praegnate
6	And it came to pass that when they were there, her days were accomplished that she should be delivered.	factum est autem cum essent ibi impleti sunt dies ut pareret
7	And she brought forth her first born son and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger: because there was no room for them in the inn.	et peperit filium suum primogenitum et pannis eum involvit et reclinavit eum in praesepio quia non erat eis locus in diversorio
8	And there were in the same country shepherds watching and keeping the night watches over their flock.	et pastores erant in regione eadem vigilantes et custodientes vigilias noctis supra gregem suum
9	And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them and the brightness of God shone round about them: and they feared with a great fear.	et ecce angelus Domini stetit iuxta illos et claritas Dei circumfulsit illos et timuerunt timore magno
10	And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be to all the people:	et dixit illis angelus nolite timere ecce enim evangelizo vobis gaudium magnum quod erit omni populo
11	For, this day is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David.	quia natus est vobis hodie salvator qui est Christus Dominus in civitate David
12	And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.	et hoc vobis signum invenietis infantem pannis involutum et positum in praesepio
13	And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying:	et subito facta est cum angelo multitudo militiae caelestis laudantium Deum et dicentium
14	Glory to God in the highest: and on earth peace to men of good will.	gloria in altissimis Deo et in terra pax in hominibus bonae voluntatis

[Salvation]

American Cathlic's Saint of the Day

December 25, 2004

Christmas Day

On this day the Church focuses especially on the newborn Child, God become human, who embodies for us all the hope and peace we seek. We need no other special saint today to lead us to Christ in the manger, although his mother Mary and Joseph, caring for his foster-Son, help round out the scene.

But if we were to select a patron for today, perhaps it might be appropriate for us to imagine an anonymous shepherd, summoned to the birthplace by a wondrous and even disturbing vision in the night, a summons from an angelic choir, promising peace and goodwill. A shepherd willing to seek out something that might just be too unbelievable to chase after, and yet compelling enough to leave behind the flocks in the field and search for a mystery.

On the day of the Lord’s birth, let’s let an unnamed, “un-celebrity” at the edge of the crowd model for us the way to discover Christ in our own hearts—somewhere between skepticism and wonder, between mystery and faith. And, like Mary and the shepherds, let us treasure that discovery in our hearts.

Comment:

The precise dating in this passage sounds like a textbook on creationism. If we focus on the time frame, however, we miss the point. It lays out the story of a love affair: creation, the deliveranceof the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, the rise of Israel under David. It climaxes with the birth of Jesus. From the beginning, some scholars insist, God intended to enter the world as one of us, the beloved people. Praise God!