December 25, 2012 | Mass At Dawn

Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)
Lectionary: 15

Reading 1 from the Holy Book of Isaiah
Is 62:11-12

See, the LORD proclaims
to the ends of the earth:
say to daughter Zion,
your savior comes!
Here is his reward with him,
his recompense before him.
They shall be called the holy people,
the redeemed of the LORD,
and you shall be called "Frequented,"
a city that is not forsaken.

A beautiful prophecy of the coming of the Church, the Bride of Jesus Christ:

Revelation 21
King James Version (KJV)
21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 97:1, 6, 11-12.

R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.

The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.

R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.

Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.

R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.

Our Lord, Jesus Christ is the Light of the World:

John 1
King James Version (KJV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Reading 2 from the letter of St. Paul to St. Titus
Ti 3:4-7

Beloved:
When the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,

This is salvation apart from works of the law.  God became flesh in order to save His elect, not because of anything we have done, but because of His love and mercy towards us.

He saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

Again, He established the Sacrament of water and the Holy Spirit which we call Baptism, not because of our works.  But in order that those who obey Him and do His works, may be saved.

whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

All those who obey His will are justified by His grace freely given.  But those who do not do His will do not receive His grace but instead His condemnation.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke
Lk 2:15-20

When the angels went away from them to heaven,
the shepherds said to one another,
"Let us go, then, to Bethlehem
to see this thing that has taken place,
which the Lord has made known to us."

The Angels appeared to the shepherds by night and informed them of the birth of the King of Kings.

So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.

And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them.

And Mary considered all these wonderful things said about her child, in her heart.




Merry Christmas,

Sincerely,

De Maria