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First Reading: Is 52:7 - 10
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those
who bring good news,
who herald peace and happiness,
who proclaim salvation
and announce to Zion: "Your God is king!"
Together your watchmen
raise their voices in praise and song;
they see Yahweh face to face returning to Zion.
Break into shouts of joy,
O ruins of Jerusalem,
for Yahweh consoles his people
and redeems Jerusalem.
Yahweh has bared his holy arm
in the eyes of the nations;
all the ends of the earth, in alarm,
will witness God's salvation.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 98:1-6
R./ 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 deeds;
his 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 known;
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward 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 seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands;
break 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 horn
sing joyfully before the King, the Lord.
R./ All the ends of the earth have seen
the saving power of God.
Second Reading: Heb 1:1-6
God has spoken in the past to our ancestors through the prophets, in many different ways, although never completely; but in our times he has spoken definitively to us through his Son. He is the one God appointed heir of all things, since through him he unfolded the stages of the world.
He is the radiance of God's Glory and bears the stamp of God's hidden being, so that his powerful word upholds the universe. And after taking away sin, he took his place at the right hand of the divine Majesty in heaven.
So he is now far superior to angels just as the name he received sets him apart from them.
To what angel did God say: You are my son, I have begotten you today? and to what angel did he promise: I shall be a father to him and he will be a son to me?
On sending his Firstborn to the world, God says: Let all the angels adore him.
Gospel Reading: Jn 1:1-18 or Jn 1:1-5, 9-14
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 were made through him
and without him nothing came to be.
Whatever has come to be,
found life in him,
life which for humans was also light.
Light that shines in the dark:
light that darkness could not overcome.
A man came, sent by God;
his name was John.
He came to bear witness,
as a witness to introduce the Light
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the Light
but a witness to introduce the Light.
For the Light was coming into the world,
the true Light that enlightens everyone.
He was already in the world
and through him the world was made,
the very world that did not know him.
He came to his own,
yet his own people did not receive him;
but all who have received him
he empowers to become children of God
for they believe in his Name.
These are born, but without seed
or carnal desire or will of man:
they are born of God.
And the Word was made flesh;
he had his tent pitched among us,
and we have seen his Glory,
the Glory of the only Son
coming from the Father:
fullness of truth and loving-kindness.
John bore witness to him openly, saying:
This is the one who comes after me,
but he is already ahead of me
for he was before me.
From his fullness we have all received,
favor upon favor.
For God had given us the Law through Moses,
but Truth and Loving-kindness
came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God,
but God-the-Only-Son made him known:
the one who is in and with the Father.
Greeting (See Second Reading)
In our own time God has spoken to us
through his own Son,
the radiant light of God's glory
through whom he made everything.
May this Son, Jesus the Lord, be with you.
R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
Many times in the course of history God spoke and his Word was effective and liberating. He spoke, and the world was made. He spoke, and man and woman were created. He spoke, and he created the free nation of Israel, his Chosen People. But Israel refused to listen to God in the prophets and the gloom of sin over the world settled also over his people. God did not give up on humanity. He spoke his definitive Word, Jesus, and Jesus came and was born a child of people. He came to save us. Do we listen to his Word? Do we give him our word of acceptance and love?
Penitential Act
We hear God's Word in the Good News
and in the life of Jesus.
Do we respond to Jesus' message?
Let us examine ourselves.
(PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, you have brought to all nations
God's justice and truth and love:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, we sing a new song to you,
we sing out our joy at your coming:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, we acclaim you as our Lord
for you have worked wonders among us:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Be merciful to us, Lord,
and speak your Word that sets us free from sin.
Lead us to the joy of everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray
that God's Word may be alive in us today
(PAUSE)
Our Faithful God,
you make yourself known
and speak to us through Jesus Christ,
your image and your living Word.
Open our ears and hearts,
that we may receive your Word and keep it.
Let your Word become flesh among us
also in our words of peace and truth
and in our deeds of justice and love,
of friendship and self-effacing service.
May this be the way by which people recognize
that your Son is alive among us today,
and may they praise you for ever. R/ Amen.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction: The Good News of Liberation. God announces liberation to his people in captivity. This liberation is brought to us today by Jesus.
Second Reading Introduction: Now God Speaks To Us Through His Son. God has often spoken to people, but since the coming of his Son on earth, he speaks to us his definitive word, Jesus. In him we see what God means and who God is.
Gospel Introduction: And the Word Became Flesh. The evangelist John speaks to us of the mystery of Jesus: he is the image of the Father, his Word became a man, his light in our darkness, God living among us. Do we accept him as he is?
General Intercessions
God speaks to us his living word, Jesus. Let us now speak our fumbling words to Jesus, our Lord and brother, as we say. R/ Speak your word to us, Lord.
- Jesus, for all who speak to the People of God the liberating words of your Good News, that they themselves may be filled with it and out of this fullness proclaim it with conviction and warmth, we pray: R/ Speak your word to us, Lord.
- Jesus, for all who hear your living word, that they may receive it, treasure it in their hearts, and let it bear fruits of justice and love, we pray:
R/ Speak your word to us, Lord.
- Jesus, for all who do not yet know you, that the lives of many convinced Christians may open their eyes to you, the true light of the world, we pray:
R/ Speak your word to us, Lord.
- Jesus for those who speak words of bitterness and cry out their loneliness and misery, that we may speak to them comforting words of hope, we pray:
R/ Speak your word to us, Lord.
- Jesus, for your body on earth, our communities, that we may live in peace with God and each other, and that we may be of one heart and soul, we pray:
R/ Speak your word to us, Lord.
Lord Jesus, you entered our world and know our needs and desires. Do not always give what we ask but what we really need and stay with us, now and for ever.
R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Our loving God and Father,
you let Jesus speak his mighty word
and these gifts of bread and wine
become his flesh and blood
for the life of the world.
Let your Son also speak to us
from heart to heart,
that he may fill our empty words
with the power of integrity and truth
and that he may change us, timid as we are,
into people of peace and courage,
who live without compromise
the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
Break into shouts of joy together, for the Lord has come to save his people. We thank and praise the Father in heaven for the gift of his Son to us and to the world.
Invitation to the Lord's Prayer
God will hear our stammering words if we pray to him with Jesus: R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us, Lord, from the darkness
of sin, of our fears, of all evil.
Open our eyes to the light
of your forgiveness and love,
that your peace may be with us.
Make us free for anyone who needs us,
that together we may be your new people
who build up in hope and joy
your world and your kingdom.
Lead us to our future in you
through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Prayer for Peace
Lord Jesus Christ,
you entered our world
as the Father's Word of peace.
Give your people and every nation
a peace based on justice and truth.
Dispose us to offer to one another
signs of reconciliation
and to speak words of welcome and peace.
Unite us in the peace of your kingdom
where you live for ever and ever. R/ Amen.
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus, God's living Word,
the true light that shines on all people.
Happy are those who receive him,
for he makes them children of God. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
Lord God, almighty Father,
you have filled us with the Word
and the body of Jesus your Son.
You have entrusted your Son to us;
may his word of Good News be on our lips
to tell it to one another
and may we give shape and life to it
by building up his community of justice and love.
Let us become with him
your word and your gift,
and your sign of hope to the world.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
God has spoken to us here today
not in mere promises
but in the living person of his own Son.
He came as the light brightening our darkness.
How could we still be in the dark?
He has made us children of God.
Do we live as sons and daughters of God?
He came to bring light and life
to all the world.
Have we spread his light?
In the joy of Christmas,
let us not forget our task
to give him to the world.
And may God bless and keep you all:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Go in the peace of Christ
and bear witness to his love.
R/ Thanks be to God.
