The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

Reading 1 and//www.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/52and7 IS 52and7-10 How beautiful upon the mountainsare 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 sentinels 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 armin the sight of all the nationsall the ends of the earth will beholdthe salvation of our God. Responsorial Psalm and//www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/98and1 PS 98and1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6 R. (3c)All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. Sing to the LORD a new song,for he has done wondrous deedshis right hand has won victory for him,his holy arm. R.All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. The LORD has made his salvation knownandin the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulnesstoward the house of Israel. R.All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. All the ends of the earth have seenthe salvation by our God.Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you landsbreak into song sing praise. R.All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,with the harp and melodious song.With trumpets and the sound of the hornsing joyfully before the King, the LORD. R.All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. Reading 2 and//www.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/1and1 HEB 1and1-6 Brothers and sistersandIn times past, God spoke in partial and various waysto our ancestors through the prophetsin these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son,whom he made heir of all thingsand 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 angelsas the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.For to which of the angels did God ever sayandYou are my son this day I have begotten you?Or againandI will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me?And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he saysandLet all the angels of God worship him. Alleluia R.Alleluia, alleluia.A holy day has dawned upon us.Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.For today a great light has come upon the earth.R.Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel and//www.usccb.org/bible/john/1and1 JN 1and1-18 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 racethe 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 himhe gave power to become children of God,to those who believe in his name,who were born not by natural generationnor by human choice nor by a man’s decisionbut of God.And the Word became fleshand 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 mebecause 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.