FIRST PART OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR: THE CHRISTMAS CYCLE (MYSTERY OF THE INCARNATION).[1]
I. SEASON OF ADVENT
Sunday, 23 December, 2007
Fourth Sunday of Advent (I)
Collect: O Lord, we beseech Thee, stir up Thy power, and come, and with great might succour us: that by the help of Thy grace that which is hindered by our sins may be hastened by Thy merciful forgiveness: Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Epistle: From the First letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 4:1-5.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 3:1-6.
II. CHRISTMASTIDE (from the Vigil of the Nativity [December 24] through the Baptism of Our Lord [January 13]).
Monday, 24 December, 2007
VIGIL OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD or CHRISTMAS EVE (I)
Day of Fast (Traditional)
Collect: O God, Who dost gladden us by the yearly expectation of our redemption, grant that we, who now joyfully receive Thine only-begotten Son as our Redeemer, may also without fear behold Him coming as our Judge, even the same Lord Jesus Christ: Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Epistle: Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Romans, 1:1-6.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 1:18-21.
Tuesday, 25 December, 2007
THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD or CHRISTMAS DAY (I)
"The Feast of the Birth of our Lord. Formerly the Masses for this day were celebrated at intervals; that is, at midnight, at dawn, and in the day time – a custom still observed in Cathedrals, monastic communities, and many parish churches. They are said always in the order in which they are arranged in the Missal, namely: 1. the Midnight Mass, 2. the Mass of the Dawn, 3. the Mass of the Day; even though the times at which they are said do not correspond to their titles.”
FIRST MASS: AT MIDNIGHT
“The Midnight Mass especially recalls the temporal birth of Jesus.”
Collect: O God, who hast made this most holy night shine forth with the splendour of the true Light: grant, we beseech Thee, that we, who have known the mysteries of His light on earth, may enjoy also His happiness in heaven: Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Epistle: Bl. Paul the Apostle to Titus, 2:11-15.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 2:1-14.
SECOND MASS: AT DAWN
“The Mass at Dawn especially recalls the spiritual birth of Jesus in our souls.”
Collect: Grant us, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that we on whom the new light of Thine Incarnate Word is poured, may show forth in our works that brightness, which now doth illuminate our minds by faith. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Epistle: Bl. Paul the Apostle to Titus, 3:4,7.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 2:15-20.
THIRD MASS: DURING THE DAYTIME
“This Third Mass during the Daytime recalls especially the eternal generation of Jesus.”
Collect: Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the new birth of Thine only-begotten Don in the flesh may set us free, who are held by the bondage under the yoke of sin. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Epistle: Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews, 1:1-12.
Gospel: The holy Gospel according to St. John, 1:1-18.
Wednesday, 26 December, 2007
2nd Day in the octave of Christmas (II)
St. Stephen, First Martyr
“Stephen, one of the seven Deacons, chosen by the Apostles amongst the most pious and holy disciples, to help them, received from them the mission to organize the meals where the poor were fed in common. St. Stephen was renowned for his virtues and worked such great signs and wonders among the people that the Jews from five different synagogues became alarmed and summoned him before the Sanhedrin. The Jews stoned this holy Deacon, who invoked our Lord, saying: ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit... Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.’ (died 36) His name is inscribed in the Canon of the Mass.”
Collect: Grant us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, so to imitate what we revere, that we may learn to love even our enemies: for we celebrate the heavenly Birthday of him who knew how to pray for his very persecutors to our Lord, Jesus Christ, Thy Son: Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Lesson: From the Acts of the Apostles, 6:8-10, 27, 54-59.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 23:34-39.
Thursday, 27 December, 2007
3rd Day in the octave of Christmas (II)
St. John, Apostle and Evangelist
"St John is the virgin Apostle, crowned with the halo of those who knew how to conquer their flesh; for this reason he became ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved.’ Thanks to his angelic purity, he imbibed that wholesome wisdom of which the Epistle of the Mass speaks and which has given to him the halo of the Doctors. Finally he received the halo of the Martyrs, since he barely escaped a violent death. It is to St. John, who wrote a Gospel, three Epistles and the Apocalypse, that we owe the most beautiful pages on the Divinity of the Word made flesh, and it is for this reason that the virgin Apostle is symbolised by the eagle. His name is mentioned with the other Apostles’ names in the Canon of the Mass. St. John the Evangelist departed this life at Ephesus (d.101).”
Collect: Of Thy goodness, O Lord, shine upon Thy Church, that, enlightened by the teachings of blessed John, Thine Apostle and Evangelist, she may attain to everlasting gifts. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 15:1-6.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. John, 21:19-24.
Friday, 28 December, 2007
4th Day in the octave of Christmas (II)
The Holy Innocents, Martyrs
“It is because Herod believed the words of the Magi and of the high priests whom he consulted that he sees a rival in the Infant of Bethlehem and with jealousy pursues the Child, born King of the Jews. It is this God-King that the Innocents by dying confess. Their passion is the exultation of Christ.”
Collect: O God, whose praise the martyred Innocents on this day confessed, not by speaking, but by dying: destroy in us all the evils of sin, that our life also may proclaim by deeds Thy faith which our tongue professes. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Lesson: From the Book of the Apocalypse of the Bl. Apostle John, 14:1-5.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 2:13-18.
Saturday, 29 December, 2007
5th Day in the octave of Christmas (II)
Collect: Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the new birth of Thine only-begotten Don in the flesh may set us free, who are held by the bondage under the yoke of sin. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Epistle: Bl. Paul the Apostle to Titus, 3:4,7.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 2:15-20.
St. Thomas of Canterbury, Bishop, Martyr (Comm.)
England and Wales
"Saint Thomas a Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, is the Martyr of the liberties of the Church, in the XIIth century. Henry II, king of England, wished him to sanction customs contrary to the liberties of the Church. St. Thomas knew that to make this divine society subservient to the secular power, would be to violate her very constitution, and therefore as Bishop he would willingly suffer death in defence of the Church of Christ. He was slain in his cathedral by the King’s soldiers on December 29th, 1170."
Collect: O God, for the sake of whose Church the glorious Bishop Thomas fell by the sword of ungodly men: grant, we beseech Thee, that all who implore his aid, may obtain the good fruit of their petition. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end.
Epistle: From Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews, 5:1-6.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. John, 10:11-16.
[1] Remarks are abstracted from The Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual, from Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962
(Baronius Press Limited, London, 2004, in conjunction with the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, www.baroniuspress.com)
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