The iBreviary staff wishes all our users and their loved ones a very happy and holy Christmas, with all the blessings of the Savior, through the intercession of his holy Mother. At this time, we also take the opportunity to extend our profound gratitude to Fr. PB who generously donates his valuable time to work on and provide our English texts throughout the whole year. Deus retribuat!
INTRODUCTION
God, + come to my assistance.
— Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory 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. Alleluia.
HYMN
O Christ, Redeemer of us all,
the Father’s Sole-begotten Son,
in myst’ry born alone from him,
so wondrously before all time,
The Father’s splendor and true Light,
O everlasting hope for all,
bend low to hear your servants’ prayers
poured forth to you throughout the earth.
O author of all saving grace,
recall that once you took our flesh
and from the Virgin pure and chaste
assumed by birth our human form.
This feast today now testifies,
within the cycle of the year,
that you as Savior of the world
alone came from the Father’s throne.
The sky above, the earth, the sea,
and all creation held therein
extol with joyous hymns of praise
the Author of your advent here.
We also, whom you came to save
and by your holy blood redeem,
all sing a new and joyful hymn
to celebrate your day of birth.
To you, Lord Jesus, glory be,
the Virgin Mother’s newborn Son,
with God the Father, ever blest,
and Loving Spirit, ever one. Amen.
Tune: PUER NOBIS NASCETUR, 8 8 8 8
Music: Adapted from Michael Praetorius, 1571-1621, in Musae Sionae, VI, 1809
or Mode I, melody 7; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983*
Text: Christe, redemptor omnium, ex Patre, Patris Unice, 6th c., © 2023 ICEL
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 You have been endowed from your birth with princely gifts; in eternal splendor, before the dawn of light on earth, I have begotten you.
Psalm 110:1-5, 7
The Messiah, king and priest
Christ’s reign will last until all his enemies are made subject to him (1 Corinthians 15:25).
The Lord’s revelation to my Master: †
“Sit on my right: *
your foes I will put beneath your feet.”
The Lord will wield from Zion †
your scepter of power: *
rule in the midst of all your foes.
A prince from the day of your birth †
on the holy mountains; *
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.
The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change. †
“You are a priest for ever, *
a priest like Melchizedek of old.”
The Master standing at your right hand *
will shatter kings in the day of his great wrath.
He shall drink from the stream by the wayside *
and therefore he shall lift up his head.
Glory 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.
Psalm Prayer
Father, we ask you to give us victory and peace. In Jesus Christ, our Lord and King, we are already seated at your right hand. We look forward to praising you in the fellowship of all your saints in our heavenly homeland.
Ant. You have been endowed from your birth with princely gifts; in eternal splendor, before the dawn of light on earth, I have begotten you.
Ant. 2 With the Lord is unfailing love; great is his power to save.
Psalm 130
A cry from the depths
He himself will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).
Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord, *
Lord, hear my voice!
O let your ears be attentive *
to the voice of my pleading.
If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, *
Lord, who would survive?
But with you is found forgiveness: *
for this we revere you.
My soul is waiting for the Lord, *
I count on his word.
My soul is longing for the Lord *
more than watchman for daybreak.
Let the watchman count on daybreak *
and Israel on the Lord.
Because with the Lord there is mercy *
and fullness of redemption,
Israel indeed he will redeem *
from all its iniquity.
Glory 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.
Psalm Prayer
Listen with compassion to our prayers, Lord. The forgiveness of sins is yours. Do not look on the wrong we have done, but grant us your merciful kindness.
Ant. With the Lord is unfailing love; great is his power to save.
Ant. 3 In the beginning, before time began, the Word was God; today he is born, the Savior of the world.
Canticle: Colossians 1:12-20
Christ the first-born of all creation and the first-born from the dead
Let us give thanks to the Father *
for having made you worthy
to share the lot of the saints *
in light.
He rescued us *
from the power of darkness
and brought us *
into the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Through him we have redemption, *
the forgiveness of our sins.
He is the image of the invisible God, *
the first-born of all creatures.
In him everything in heaven and on earth was created, *
things visible and invisible.
All were created through him; *
all were created for him.
He is before all else that is. *
In him everything continues in being.
It is he who is head of the body, the church! *
he who is the beginning,
the first-born of the dead, *
so that primacy may be his in everything.
It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in him *
and, by means of him, to reconcile everything in his person,
both on earth and in the heavens, *
making peace through the blood of his cross.
Glory 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. In the beginning, before time began, the Word was God; today he is born, the Savior of the world.
READING
1 John 1:1-3
This is what we proclaim to you:
what was from the beginning,
what we have heard,
what we have seen with our eyes,
what we looked upon
and our hands have touched—
we speak of the word of life.
(This life became visible;
we have seen it and bear witness to it
and proclaim to you the eternal life
that was with the Father
and became visible to us.)
What we have seen and heard
we proclaim in turn to you
so that you may share life with us.
This fellowship of ours is with the Father
and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
RESPONSORY
The Word was made man, alleluia, alleluia.
— The Word was made man, alleluia, alleluia.
He lived among us.
— Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
— The Word was made man, alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL CANTICLE
Ant. Christ the Lord is born today; today, the Savior has appeared. Earth echoes songs of angel choirs, archangels’ joyful praise. Today on earth his friends exult: Glory to God in the highest, alleluia.
Canticle of Mary
Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord
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 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. Christ the Lord is born today; today, the Savior has appeared. Earth echoes songs of angel choirs, archangels’ joyful praise. Today on earth his friends exult: Glory to God in the highest, alleluia.
INTERCESSIONS
At the birth of Jesus, angels proclaimed peace to the world. We worship him now with joy, and we pray with hearts full of faith:
May your birth bring peace to all.
Lord, fill your holy people with whatever good they need,
— let the mystery of your birth be the source of our peace.
May your birth bring peace to all.
You came as chief shepherd and guardian of our lives,
— let the pope and bishops be faithful channels of your many gifts of grace.
May your birth bring peace to all.
King from all eternity, you desired to be born within time and to experience the day-to-day life of men and women,
— share your gift of unending life with us, weak people doomed to death.
May your birth bring peace to all.
Awaited from the beginning of the world, you came only in the fullness of time,
— now reveal your presence to those who are expecting you.
May your birth bring peace to all.
You became one of us and gave new life to our human condition in the grip of death,
— now give the fullness of life to all who have died.
May your birth bring peace to all.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
(Gathering our prayer and praises into one, let us offer the prayer Christ himself 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.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
Lord God,
we praise you for creating us,
and still more for restoring us in Christ.
Your Son shared our weakness:
may we share his glory,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
Or:
O God, who wonderfully created the dignity of human nature
and still more wonderfully restored it,
grant, we pray,
that we may share in the divinity of Christ,
who humbled himself to share in our humanity.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
DISMISSAL
If a priest or deacon presides, he dismisses the people:
The Lord be with you.
— And with your spirit.
May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
— Amen.
Another form of the blessing may be used, as at Mass.
Then he adds:
Go in peace.
— Thanks be to God.
In the absence of a priest or deacon and in individual recitation, Evening Prayer concludes:
May the Lord + bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.
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From Heaven above to earth I come
To bear good news to every home;
Glad tidings of great joy I bring
Whereof I now will say and sing:
To you this night is born a child
Of Mary, chosen mother mild;
This little child, of lowly birth,
Shall be the joy of all your earth.
‘Tis Christ our God who far on high
Hath heard your sad and bitter cry;
Himself will your Salvation be,
Himself from sin will make you free.
He brings those blessings, long ago
Prepared by God for all below;
Henceforth His kingdom open stands
To you, as to the angel bands.
Glory to God in highest Heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given!
While angels sing with pious mirth
A glad New Year to all the earth.
Tune: Von Himmel Hoch L.M.
Music: Geistliche Lieder, Leipzig, 1539
Text: Martin Luther, 1539
Translation: Catherine Winkworth, 1855