Degree of ceremony: Respect

Liturgical color: White

Entrance chant

Today you will know that the Lord has come and saved us. Tomorrow you will see his glory.

Introduction to the Mass

Dear brothers and sisters, God created the first human beings, Adam and Eve, in His image. He always wanted humans to be happy and to be forever united with Him. However, because of pride and weakness, humans betrayed God and followed the path of sin. But because He loved humans so much, when humans sinned, God opened the way for humans to repent and return to Him. He gave humans hope and trust in His boundless love, so He made the promise, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive.” At the moment of celebrating the great mystery of Christmas, let us repent sincerely, to be worthy to receive it.

Collect

O God, you stir in us year after year the joyful expectation of your salvation. Now that we are joyfully welcoming your Son who has come to save us, grant us no fear when we see him coming to judge us. You are God, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

First Reading : Is 62, 1-5

“You please God.”

From the book of the prophet Isaiah.

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness appears like light, her salvation like a burning torch.

All nations will see his righteousness, and all kings will see his glory. The Lord himself will give you a new name. You will be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You will no longer be called Forsaken, and your land will no longer be called Desolate. You will be called My Delight, and your land will be called Inhabited, because you have found favor in the sight of God, and your land will be inhabited.

As a young man shall dwell with a virgin, so shall your children dwell within you; as a husband rejoices over his wife, so shall your God rejoice over you.

That is the word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm : Ps 88:4-5. 16-17. 27 and 29

Response: Lord, I will sing of your lovingkindness forever.

Chant: I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: “I will establish your descendants forever, and I will establish your throne throughout all generations.”

Chant: Blessed are the people who know joy, O Lord, who walk in the light of Your presence. They rejoice continually in Your name, and boast in Your righteousness.

Chant: He will say to me, “You are my Father, my God and the rock of my salvation.” I will show him my unfailing love, and my covenant with him will be established forever. 

Second Reading : Acts 13:16-17. 22-25

“Saint Paul testifies about Christ, the son of David.”

From the book of Acts.

Paul went to Antioch in Pisidia, and when he had entered the synagogue, he stood up, motioned with his hand to silence them, and said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen: The God of Israel chose our ancestors and promoted his people when they were living in Egypt, and with a mighty hand he brought them out of that land.

“After rejecting Saul, the Lord made David king over his people, to which he testified: “I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my will.”

“From the descendants of David, God has given to Israel a Savior, Jesus, who was announced by John when he came and preached a baptism of repentance to all Israel. When John had finished his journey, he declared, ‘I am not the man you suppose me to be. But behold, he is coming after me, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’”

That is the word of the Lord.

Alleluia

Alleluia, alleluia! – Tomorrow the sins of the world will be taken away, and the Savior will reign over us. – Alleluia.

Gospel : Mt 1, 1-25 (long text)

“The lineage of Jesus Christ, son of David.”

The Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; Isaac begat Jacob; Jacob begat Judah; Phares (by Tamar) and his brothers. Judah begat Phares and Zara; Esrom begat Aram; Aram begat Aminadab; Aminadab begat Naasson; Naasson begat Salmon; Salmon begat Booz by Rahab; Booz begat Jobed by Ruth; Jobed begat Jesse; Jesse begat David.

David begat Solomon by Uriah’s wife; Solomon begat Roboam; Roboam begat Abia; Abia begat Asa; Asa begat Jehoshaphat; Jehoshaphat begat Joram; Joram begat Ozias; Ozias begat Joatham; Joatham begat Ahaz; Ahaz begat Hezekiah; Hezekiah begat Manasseh; Manasseh begat Amos; Amos begat Josiah; Josiah begat Jeconiah and his brothers during the exile in Babylon.

After the deportation to Babylon, Jeconiah was the father of Salathiel; Salathiel was the father of Zorababel; Zorababel was the father of Abiud; Abiud was the father of Eliakim; Eliakim was the father of Azor; Azor was the father of Sadoc; Sadoc was the father of Achim; Achim was the father of Eliud; Eliud was the father of Eleazar; Eleazar was the father of Matthan; Matthan was the father of Jacob; Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, from David to the exile in Babylon were fourteen generations, and from the exile in Babylon to the Christ were fourteen generations.

Christ was born in these circumstances: His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, and before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to expose her to public disgrace, decided to divorce her quietly. But while he was about to do this, an angel appeared to him in a dream and said,

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.”

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. He took Mary as his wife, but they did not have marital relations until she gave birth to a son. And Joseph named him Jesus.

That is the word of the Lord.

Or read this short passage: Mt 1, 18-25

“Mary will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus.”

The Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.

Christ was born in the following circumstances:

His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, and before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, decided to divorce her quietly. But while he was about to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive and give birth to a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means God-with-us.”

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. He took Mary as his wife, but they did not have marital relations until she gave birth to a son. And Joseph named him Jesus.

That is the word of the Lord.

When reciting the Creed, at the phrase: ” By the power of the Holy Spirit ,” genuflect.

Prayer of the Faithful

Celebrant : Dear brothers and sisters! In the joy of welcoming the mystery of Christmas, let us join in prayer so that each person’s soul becomes a warm Bethlehem cave so that “tonight” the Child Jesus may come.

1. “Today you will know that the Lord has come down from heaven to earth ”,- Please let the Pastors in the Church pay attention to the lost sheep, so that they can soon bring them back to salvation.

2. “Blessed are the people who know joy, who walk in the light of Your presence .”- May Christians who are waiting for the Lord to come truly rejoice and be glad in Your righteousness.

3. “The Savior will reign over us .” – May the poor feel happy because they are like the poor Jesus.

4. “All these events were done to fulfill the Word of God .”- May everyone in our parish always know how to renew their lives, by practicing charity towards each other and those around them, to glorify God.

Celebrant:   Father, accept the prayers we offer you this evening, so that the day of your Son’s birth may truly be a source of salvation for all people. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Prayer over the offerings

Lord, you have revealed to us the mystery of the birth of your only Son Jesus Christ, the beginning of salvation. Grant that from this evening we may fervently celebrate his birth. He lives and reigns forever and ever.

Christmas Preface

Communion song

The glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all flesh will see the salvation of our God.

Prayer after communion

Lord, today we celebrate the birth of your Son. You have filled us with joy at the heavenly banquet. Please grant us an abundance of divine life. We pray…

Reflection

The Son of God became man and had a genealogy – Christmas Eve Mass – Fr. Anton Nguyen Van Do

The Son of God Integrates Himself into Human History – Reflection on Christmas Eve and Christmas Eve