(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: Now we share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity.

Psalm 113 (112)
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
May the name of the Lord be blest
both now and for ever-more!
From the rising of the sun to its setting
praised be the name of the Lord!

High above all nations is the Lord,
above the heavens his glory.
Who is like the Lord, our God,
who has risen on high to his throne
yet stoops from the heights to look down,
to look down upon heaven and earth?

From the dust he lifts up the lowly,
from the dung heap he raises the poor
to set them in the company of rulers,
yes, with the rulers of his people.
To the childless wife he gives a home
and gladdens her heart with children.

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: Now we share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity.

[Pause and reflect on the previous psalm.]

ANT: Like a gentle rain falling on the earth, you, Lord Jesus, have come down to save us.

Canticle 21 (Ephesians 1:3-10)
Blest be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
He chose us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and blameless before him.

He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ,
according to the purpose of his will,
to the praise of his glorious grace
which he freely gave us in the beloved.

In him we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of his grace,
which he lavished upon us.

He has made known to us in all wisdom and insight
the mystery of his will,
according to his purpose that he set forth in Christ,
His purpose he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time,
to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

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: Like a gentle rain falling on the earth, you, Lord Jesus, have come down to save us.

[Pause and reflect on the previous psalm.]

READING (Ephesians 2:3b-5)
By nature we deserved God's wrath like the rest. But God is rich in mercy; because of his great love for us he brought us to life with Christ when we were dead in sin. By this favor you were saved.

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

ANT: Born of a woman and subject to the law, Jesus has saved us from our sins.

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: Born of a woman and subject to the law, Jesus has saved us from our sins.

INTERCESSIONS

For peace in the world, the peace that Jesus brings into the world and radiates from the gospel. We pray to the Lord.

For all travelers during this Christmas season, that they have a safe and peaceful journey. We pray to the Lord.

For all separated families, that they be brought together in love and peace. We pray to the Lord.

For all our deceased loved ones, that they may follow Jesus into the kingdom of light and peace. 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
Lord God, you have renewed all creation - the world of nature and the world of spirit - through the birth of your Son. May we all experience his peace and joy. We ask this through Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen