This is the Liturgy of the Hours for December 24. Your local date is .
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:52 — 25.5MB)
Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. I:
Ordinary: 667
All from Proper of Seasons: 394
Christian Prayer:
Ordinary: 694
All from Proper of Seasons: 140
Evening Prayer I for the Solemnity of Christmas
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
Down in yon forest there stands a hall:
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring:
It's covered all over with purple and pall
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything.
In that hall there stands a bed
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring
It’s covered all over with scarlet so red
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything.
At the bed-side there lies a stone
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring
Which the sweet Virgin Mary knelt upon
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything.
Under that bed there runs a flood
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring
The one half runs water, the other runs blood
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything.
At the bed’s foot there grows a thorn
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring
Which ever blows blossom since he was born
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything.
Over that bed the moon shines bright
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring
Denoting our Saviour was born this night
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything.
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything.
| 𝄞 | "Down In Yon Forest" by Kathleen Lundquist • Available for Purchase • Title: Down In Yon Forest; Traditional English Version, from Derbyshire, XIX Century; Tune and text collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1872-1958; Artist: Kathleen Lundquist; Used with permission, visit and thank Kathleen at http://www.mystagogia.net |
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 He comes in splendor, the King who is our peace; the whole world longs to see him.
Psalm 113
Praise the name of the Lord
He has cast down the mighty and has lifted up the lowly (Luke 1:52).
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
May the name of the Lord be blessed
both now and for evermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting
praised be the name of the Lord!
Ant. He comes in splendor, the King who is our peace; the whole world longs to see him.
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?
Ant. He comes in splendor, the King who is our peace; the whole world longs to see him.
From the dust he lifts up the lowly,
from his misery he raises the poor
to set him in the company of princes,
yes, with the princes of his people.
To the childless wife he gives a home
and gladdens her heart with children.
Ant. He comes in splendor, the King who is our peace; the whole world longs to see him.
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. He comes in splendor, the King who is our peace; the whole world longs to see him.
Ant. 2 He sends forth his word to the earth, and his command spreads
swiftly through the land.
Psalm 147:12-20
The restoration of Jerusalem
Come, I will show you the bride of the Lamb (Revelation 21:9).
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Zion, praise your God!
Ant. He sends forth his word to the earth, and his command spreads
swiftly through the land.
He has strengthened the bars of your gates,
he has blessed the children within you.
He established peace on your borders,
he feeds you with finest wheat.
Ant. He sends forth his word to the earth, and his command spreads
swiftly through the land.
He sends out his word to the earth
and swiftly runs his command.
He showers down snow white as wool,
he scatters hoar-frost like ashes.
Ant. He sends forth his word to the earth, and his command spreads
swiftly through the land.
He hurls down hailstones like crumbs.
The waters are frozen at his touch;
he sends forth his word and it melts them:
at the breath of his mouth the waters flow.
Ant. He sends forth his word to the earth, and his command spreads
swiftly through the land.
He makes his word known to Jacob,
to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his decrees.
Ant. He sends forth his word to the earth, and his command spreads
swiftly through the land.
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. He sends forth his word to the earth, and his command spreads swiftly through the land.
Ant. 3 The eternal Word, born of the Father before time began, today emptied himself for our sake and became man.
Canticle – Philippians 2:6-11
Christ, God’s holy servant
Though he was in the form of God,
Jesus did not deem equality with God
something to be grasped at.
Ant. The eternal Word, born of the Father before time began, today emptied himself for our sake and became man.
Rather, he emptied himself
and took the form of a slave,
being born in the likeness of men.
Ant. The eternal Word, born of the Father before time began, today emptied himself for our sake and became man.
He was known to be of human estate,
and it was thus that he humbled himself,
obediently accepting even death,
death on a cross!
Ant. The eternal Word, born of the Father before time began, today emptied himself for our sake and became man.
Because of this,
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
above every other name,
So that at Jesus’ name
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth,
and under the earth,
and every tongue proclaim
to the glory of God the Father:
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!
Ant. The eternal Word, born of the Father before time began, today emptied himself for our sake and became man.
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. The eternal Word, born of the Father before time began, today emptied himself for our sake and became man.
READING Galatians 4:4-5
When the designated time had come, God sent forth his Son born of a woman, born under the law, to deliver from the law those who were subjected to it, so that we might receive our status as adopted sons.
This is the short version of this reading conform to the 4 volume Liturgy of the Hours
Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.
RESPONSORY
Today you will know the Lord is coming.
— Today you will know the Lord is coming.
And in the morning you will see his glory.
— The Lord is coming.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
— Today you will know the Lord is coming.
CANTICLE OF MARY
Ant. When the sun rises in the morning sky, you will see the King of kings coming forth from the Father like a radiant bridegroom from the bridal chamber.
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. When the sun rises in the morning sky, you will see the King of kings coming forth from the Father like a radiant bridegroom from the bridal chamber.
INTERCESSIONS
Christ Jesus emptied himself and took the form of a slave. He was tested like us in all things and did not sin. Now let us worship him and pray to him with deep faith:
By the power of your birth, comfort those who are saved.
You came into the world heralding the new age foretold by the prophets,
— give your holy people the gift of renewal in every generation.
By the power of your birth, comfort those who are saved.
You once took on the weakness of our human condition,
— be light now for those who do not see, strength for the wavering and comfort for the troubled of heart.
By the power of your birth, comfort those who are saved.
You were born into poverty and lowliness,
— look with favor on the poor and comfort them.
By the power of your birth, comfort those who are saved.
By your birth bring joy to all peoples with the promise of unending life,
— give joy to the dying through the hope of heavenly birth.
By the power of your birth, comfort those who are saved.
You came to earth to lead everyone into the kingdom,
— share your life of glory with those who have died.
By the power of your birth, comfort those who are saved.
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
O God,
who have made this most sacred night
radiant with the splendor of the true Light,
grant, we pray, that we
who have known the mysteries of his light on earth
may also delight in his gladness in heaven.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
— Amen.
DISMISSAL
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
— Amen.
The Faith Journey of our Community
Oneil Joe on December 24th, 2023 at 8:34
Lord, that I may see!
