(Make the sign of the cross, saying:)

God, come to my assistance,
Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen

ANT: He who was from the beginning, God from God, Light from Light, is born for us.

Psalm 40-A (39-A)
I waited, I waited for the Lord
and he stooped down to me;
he heard my cry.

He drew me from the deadly pit, from the miry clay.
He set my feet upon a rock
and made my foot-steps firm.

He put a new song into my mouth,
praise of our God.
Many shall see and fear and shall trust in the Lord.

Happy those who have placed their trust in the Lord
and have not gone over to the rebels who follow false gods.

How many, O Lord my God,
are the wonders and designs that you have worked for us;
you have no equal.
Should I proclaim and speak of them,
they are more than I can tell.

You do not ask for sacrifice and offerings,
but an open ear.
You do not ask for holocaust and victim.
Instead, here am I.

In the scroll of the book it stands written
that I should do your will.
My God, I delight in your law
in the depth of my heart.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen

ANT: He who was from the beginning, God from God, Light from Light, is born for us.

[Pause and reflect on the previous psalm.]

ANT: We are all one in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Psalm 45-A (44-A)
My heart overflows with noble words.
To the king I must speak the song I have made,
my tongue as nimble as the pen of a scribe.

You are the fairest of the people on earth
and graciousness is poured upon your lips,
because God has blest you for evermore.

O mighty one, gird your sword upon your thigh;
in splendor and state, ride on in triumph
for the cause of truth and goodness and right.

Take aim with your bow in your dread right hand.
Your arrows are sharp, peoples fall beneath you.
The foes of the king fall down and lose heart.

Your throne, O God, shall endure for ever.
A scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom,
Your love is for justice, your hatred for eil.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness above other kings;
your robes are fragrant with aloes and myrrh.

From the ivory palace you are greeted with music.
The daughters of kings are among your loved ones.
On your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen

ANT: We are all one in Christ Jesus our Lord.

[Pause and reflect on the previous psalm.]

READING (1 John 5:20)
We know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment to recognize the One who is true, for we are in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

[Reflect on the Reading, applying it to your life today.]

ANT: By the power of the Holy Spirit the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God.

CANTICLE OF MARY (Lk 1:46-55)
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed;
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen

ANT: By the power of the Holy Spirit the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God.

INTERCESSIONS

Lord Jesus, your were born a human like us, by the power of your birth, comfort us when we sin. We pray to the Lord.

Lord Jesus, give your blessing and peace to teenagers who are suffering with personal problems. We pray to the Lord.

Lord Jesus, you were born into poverty and lowliness, bless and give your peace to the poor and comfort them in their need. We pray to the Lord.

Lord Jesus, by your birth give joy to those who are dying and give them the hope of heavenly birth. We pray to the Lord.

(Pray for your special intentions.)

OUR FATHER
And now we pray to God the Father in the words that Jesus taught us.

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.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen

PRAYER
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our glory is to stand before the world as your own sons and daughters. May the simple beauty of Jesus' birth summon us always to love what is most deeply human, and to see your Word made flesh reflected in those whose lives we touch. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen