This day Ch rist is born ;

Transcription

1 CELE BRAT ING T HE BIRT H OF T HE C HRIST A Savior h as been born for u s, the Messiah and Lord. Lu ke 2: 11 L et u s dance with deligh t in the Lord and let ou r hearts be filled with rejoicing, for etern al salvation h as appeared on the earth. + + L et u s remember that the God we h ave lon ged for, the Savior that has been promised is in ou r midst. Glory to God in the h igh est and peace to all men and women of good will. + This day Ch rist is born ; T h is day the Savior h as appeared; T h is day angels are singing on earth, archan gels are rejoicin g; T h is day the ju st are glad an d say: Glory to God in the h igh est, allelu ia! You Wh o are Holy, You Wh o wish ed to be born in the midst of ou r sins the better to pardon u s, We beg You Lord h ave mercy. You Wh o are S tron g, You Wh o wish ed to be born weak as a child in order T o give u s strength, We beg You...Ch rist h ave mercy. You Wh o are I mmortal, You Wh o h ave to put on a body to die In order to give u s immortality, We beg You Lord h ave mercy. Holy God, stron g God, immortal God, Give u s the peace of h eaven to ou r earth, An d open the door of You r mercy T o the beggars of You r love

2 B ecause of His b ou n dless love, Jesu s became what we are that He might make u s to be what He is. S ai nt Ire n ae u s T hir d c e n tu r y HYMN L o, h ow a rose e er blooming From tender stem h ath spru n g Of Jesse s lineage coming As prophets lon g h ave su ng. It came a flow ret bright Amid the cold of winter Wh en h alf spent was the n ight. I saiah twas foretold it T h e rose I h ave in mind. With Mary we behold it T h e Virgin mother kin d. T o sh ow God s love aright Sh e bore to u s a Savior Wh en h alf spent was the n ight. S ixte e nt h c e n tu r y SCRIPT U RE Joh n 1: 1-5,9-14 I n the beginnin g was the Word, and th e Word was with God, an d the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be throu gh h im, and withou t h im n othing came to be. Wh at came to be throu gh h im was life, and th is life was the light of the hu man race; the light sh ines in the darkness, and th e darkn ess h as n ot overcome it. T h e true light, which enlighten s everyon e, was coming into th e world. He was in the world, and the world came to be throu gh h im, bu t the world did n ot kn ow h im. He came to what was h is own, bu t h is own people did n ot accept h im. Bu t to those who did accept h im he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in h is n ame, who were born n ot by n atural generation n or by h u man choice n or by a man's decision bu t of God. An d the Word became flesh and made h is dwelling amon g u s, and we saw h is glory, the glory as of the Father's on ly Son, fu ll of grace and tru th.

3 REFLECT ION Nathan Mitchell C h ristmas calls a commu n ity back to its origins by remembering Jesu s own beginnin gs as a h u man ch ild, a prophet of God s reign, a ju dgment on the world an d its projects. Wh at we celebrate du ring th is season is n ot primarily birthday, bu t th e beginn ing of a decisive n ew phase in the tempestuou s h istory of God s h u nger for h u man companion s. Th e social con cern s of the season are thus rooted in Jesu s proclamation of God s reign; the ren un ciation of pattern s that oppress others and the formation of a n ew h u man commu n ity that voluntarily embraces those renun ciation s. It is an Adult Ch rist that the commu nity encou n ters during th e Advent an d Ch ristmas season s: a Risen Lord Wh o invites sinfu l people to become church. Ch ristmas does n ot ask u s to pretend that we were back in Bethlehem, kneeling before a crib; it asks u s to recognize that the wood of the crib b ecame h e wood of the cross. RESPO NSE C h rist is b orn : Give Him glory! C h rist h as come down from h eaven: Receive Him! C h rist is n ow on earth: Exalt Him! O you earth: Sing to the Lord! O you n ation s: Praise Him in joy for He h as been glorified! Or t ho dox C hri st m a s Lit u rg y O Savior of ou r fallen race, O brightness of the Father s face, O Son Wh o sh ared the Fath er s might B efore the world knew day or n igh t. O Jesu s, very Light of light, O u r con stant Star in sin s deep n ight: N ow h ear the prayer You r people pray Throu gh the world this h oly day. R emember, Lord of Life and Grace, How on ce to save ou r fallen race, You put ou r h u man vesture on And came to u s as Mary s S on.

4 Today, as year by year its light B athes all the world in radian ce brigh t, O n e preciou s tru th ou tsh in es the su n ; S alvation comes from You alon e. And we are ju bilant today, F or You h ave wash ed ou r gu ilt away. O h, h ear the glad n ew son g we sing O n this, the great day of ou r King! O Ch rist, Redeemer virgin-born, L et son gs of praise You r n ame adorn, Whom with the Father we adore And Holy Spirit evermore. Amen. S ixt h c e nt u ry Ves pe r hy m n A LITANY J esu s, Son of the Living God, Splendor of the Father, Light Etern al, King of Glory, Su n of Ju stice, Born of the V irgin Mary J esu s, Won derfu l Cou n selor, Stron g Lord, Etern al God, Prince of Peace J esu s, most powerfu l, patien t, obedient, gen tle an d hu mble of h eart, loving of all those who are pu re in h eart J esu s, God of Peace, Sou rce of Life, P attern of Holiness, Friend of All, Ou r God, Ou r Refu ge J esu s, Brother of the Poor, T reasu re of the Faithfu l, Good Sh epherd, T ru e Light, In exh austible Wisdom, Bou n dless Love, Ou r Way and Ou r Life J esu s, Joy of the An gels, King of the Patriarch s, Master of the Apostles, T each er of the Evangelists, Strength of the Martyrs, Light of Every Witness to the T ru th, Crown of All the Saints Tai ze Com mo n Pr a ye r

5 INT ERCESSI ONS I n the beginnin g was the WORD and the WORD was G OD Wh o became flesh and dwells amon g u s this day. Ch rist sh all be called WOND ERDFU L. Ch rist sh all be called PEACE. O n this day, n ew joy entered ou r world; -may we try by ou r lives to sh are joy with others each day. O n this day, fresh h ope entered ou r world; -may we bring h ope to those who are h eavily bu rden ed. O n this day, love was visible in a child; -may we sh ow ou r love for others in con crete ways of friendsh ip and service. O n this day, the promise of peace on earth was proclaimed; -may we be lovers of peace and demon strate this love by reflective respon ses to life s challenges and trials. LET U S PR AY: All powerfu l and un seen God, the coming of You r Light into ou r world h as made the darkness vanish. T each u s to proclaim the birth of You r Son, Jesu s, with h ope and joy, realizing that in giving u s You r Son, You gave u s everything. Amen. HYMN O come all ye faithfu l, joyfu l and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem; C ome and behold Him, born the King of angels. O come, let u s adore Him. (3X) C h rist the Lord!. S ing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation ; S ing, all ye citizens of h eaven above! G lory to God, In the h ighest; Yea, Lord, we greet T h ee, Born this happy morn ing; J esu, to T h ee be glory given; Word of the Father, Now in flesh appearing

6 + S aint J oh n B aptist de L a S alle and all you h oly Brothers who have gon e before u s, h elp u s to see the face of Ch rist in all of ou r you th. L ive J esu s in ou r h earts. F orever! May the Light of Christ shine brightly in your life.