First Class
[1st Mass English] [1st Mass Latin]
[2nd Mass English] [2nd Mass Latin]
[3rd Mass English] [3rd Mass Latin]
First Mass of Christmass -- At Midnight
Station at St. Mary Major at the Crib
Introit: Psalm ii. 7
The Lord hath said to me: Thou art My Son, this day I have begotten Thee. [Ps.ii] Why have the Gentiles raged, and the peoples devised vain things? Glory be.... The Lord....
Collect:
O God, who hast made this most holy night to shine forth with the brightness of the true light, grant, we beseech Thee, that we who have known the mystery of His light on earth, may attain the enjoyment of His happiness in heaven. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee...
Epistle: Titus ii. 11-15
A reading from the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Titus.
Dearly beloved: The grace of God our Savior hath appeared to all
men, instructing us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we
should live soberly and justly and godly in this world, looking for
the blessed hope and coming of the glory of the great God and our
Savior Jesus Christ: Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us
from all iniquity, and might cleanse to Himself a people acceptable, a
pursuer of good works. These things speak and exhort, in Christ
Jesus, our Lord.
Gradual: Ps. cix. 3 & 1
With Thee is the principality in the day of Thy strength -- in
the brightness of the saints -- from the womb before the daystar, I
have begotten Thee. The Lord said to my Lord: Sit Thou at My right
hand, till I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.
Alleluia, alleluia. [Ps.ii] The Lord said to Me: thou art My
Son, this day I have begotten Thee. Alleluia.
Gospel: Luke ii. 1-14
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The Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Luke.
At that time, a decree went forth from Caesar Augustus that a census
of the whole world should be taken. This first census took place
while Cyrinus was governor of Syria. And all were going, each to his
own town, to register. And Joseph also went from Galilee out of the
town of Nazareth into Judea into the town of David, which is called
Bethlehem -- because he was of the house and family of David -- to
register, together with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.
And it came to pass while they were there, that the days for her to be
delivered were fulfilled. And she brought forth her firstborn Son,
and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in an manger, be-
cause there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds
in the same district living in the fields and keeping watch over the
flock by night. And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them and
the glory of God shone round about them, and they feared exceedingly.
And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you
good news of great joy which shall be to all the people; for today in
the town of David a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ, the
Lord. And this shall be a sign to you: you will find an infant
wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." And suddenly
there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God
and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to men of
good will."
Credo.
Offertory: Ps. xcv. 11 & 13
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad before the face of the Lord: because He cometh.
Secret:
May the oblation of this day's festival be pleasing to Thee, we beseech Thee, O Lord: that of Thy bountiful grace we may, through this sacred intercourse, be found conformed to Him, in Whom our substance is united to Thee. Who with Thee....
Proper Preface and Communicantes of Christmas
Communion: Ps. cix 3
In the brightness of the saints, from the womb before the daystar I have begotten Thee.
Postcommunion:
Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God, that we who rejoice in celebrating these mysteries of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, may be a fitting change of behavior, become worthy to attain to fellowship with Him. Who with Thee and the Holy Ghost...
Second Mass of Christmass -- At Dawn
Station at St. Anastasia
Introit: Isaias ix: 2 et 9
A light shall shine upon us this day: for the Lord is born to us and He shall be called Wonderful, God, the Prince of Peace, the Father of the world to come: of whose reign there shall be no end. [Ps.] The Lord hath reigned, He is clothed with beauty: the Lord is clothed with strength, and hath girded Himself.
Collect:
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that we, upon whom is poured the new light of Thy Word made flesh, may show forth in our actions that which by faith shineth in our minds. Through the same Lord....
Commemoration of St. Anastasia:
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that we who celebrate the festival of blessed Anastasia, Thy martyr, may feel the effects of her patronage with Thee. Through our Lord.
Epistle: Titus iii: 4-7
A reading from the Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle to Titus.
Beloved:
When the goodness and kindness of God our Savior appeared,
not by reason of good works that we did ourselves, but according to
His mercy, He saved us through the bath of regeneration and renewal by
the Holy Ghost; whom He has abundantly poured out upon
us through Jesus Christ or Savior, in order that, justified by His
grace, we may be heirs in the hope of life everlasting, in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
Gradual: Ps. cxvii 26, 27 et 23
Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. The Lord is
God, and He hath shone upon us. This is the Lord's doing and it is
wonderful in our eyes.
Alleluia, alleluia. The Lord has reigned, He is clothed with
beauty. The Lord is clothed with strength, and hath girded Himself
with power. Alleluia.
Gospel: Luke ii 15-20
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The continuation of the holy Gospel according to Luke.
At that time, the shepherds were saying to one another, "Let us go
over to Bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass, which the
Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste, and they found
Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger.
And when they had seen they understood what had been told them
concerning this child. And all who heard marveled at the things told
them by the shepherds. But Mary kept in mind all these things,
pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying
and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, even as it was
spoken to them.
Credo.
Offertory:
God hath established the world, which shall not be moved. Thy throne, O God, is prepared from of old; Thou art from everlasting.
Secret:
May our offerings, we beseech Thee, O Lord, be in keeping with the mysteries of this festival of the Nativity, and ever pour down upon us peace: that even as He who was born man shone forth also as God, so may this earthly substance bestow upon us that which is divine. Through the same Lord....
Commemoration of St. Anastasia:
Accept, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the gifts which are worthily offered unto Thee: and by the help of the merits of blessed Anastasia Thy martyr, grant that they may prove a help to our salvation.
Proper Preface and Communicantes of Christmas
Communion Hymn: Zacharias ix: 9
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion, shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold the King comes, holy, the Savior of the world.
Postcommunion:
May the new life derived from this Sacrament ever revive us, O Lord: since it is His Sacrament, whose wonderful birth has overcome the old man. Through the same Lord....
Commemoration of St. Anastasia:
Thou hast nourished Thy family, O Lord, with sacred gifts: refresh us ever, we beseech Thee, by her intercession, whose festival we celebrate.
Third Mass of Christmass -- At Daytime
Station at St. Mary Major
ΕΝ ΑΡΧΗ ην ο λόγος, καὶ ο λόγος ην πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ην ο λόγος. Ουτος ην εν αρχη πρὸς τὸν θεόν. πάντα δι' αυτου εγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αυτου εγένετο ουδὲ έν. ὸ γέγονεν εν αυτω ζωὴ ην, καὶ η ζωὴ ην τὸ φως των ανθρώπων: καὶ τὸ φως εν τη σκοτία φαίνει, καὶ η σκοτία αυτὸ ου κατέλαβεν. Εγένετο άνθρωπος απεσταλμένος παρὰ θεου, όνομα αυτω Ιωάνης: ουτος ηλθεν εις μαρτυρίαν, ίνα μαρτυρήση περὶ του φωτός, ίνα πάντες πιστεύσωσιν δι' αυτου. ουκ ην εκεινος τὸ φως, αλλ' ίνα μαρτυρήση περὶ του φωτός. Ην τὸ φως τὸ αληθινὸν ὸ φωτίζει πάντα άνθρωπον ερχόμενον εις τὸν κόσμον. εν τω κόσμω ην, καὶ ο κόσμος δι' αυτου εγένετο, καὶ ο κόσμος αυτὸν ουκ έγνω. Εις τὰ ίδια ηλθεν, καὶ οι ίδιοι αυτὸν ου παρέλαβον. όσοι δὲ έλαβον αυτόν, έδωκεν αυτοις εξουσίαν τέκνα θεου γενέσθαι, τοις πιστεύουσιν εις τὸ όνομα αυτου, οὶ ουκ εξ αιμάτων ουδὲ εκ θελήματος σαρκὸς ουδὲ εκ θελήματος ανδρὸς αλλ' εκ θεο εγεννήθησαν. Καὶ ο λόγος σὰρξ εγένετο καὶ εσκήνωσεν εν ημιν, καὶ εθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αυτου, δόξαν ως μονογενους παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ αληθείας:
Introit: Isaias ix: 6
A Child is born to us, and a Son is given to us; whose government is upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called, the Angel of great counsel. [Ps.] Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: because He hath done wonderful things. Glory be.... A child.
Collect:
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the new birth in the flesh of Thine only begotten Son may set us free, whom the old bondage doth hold under the yoke of sin.
Epistle: Hebrews i: 1-12
A reading from the Epistle of blessed Paul the Apostle to the
Hebrews:
God, who at sundry times and diverse manners spoke in times past to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, by whom
also He made the world: who being the brightness of His glory and the
figure of His substance, and upholding all things by the word of His
power, making purgation of sins, sits at the right hand of the
majesty on high: being made so much better than the angels, as He has
inherited a more excellent name than they. For to which of His angels
has He said at any time, "Thou art My Son, today I have begotten
Thee"? And again, "I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to me a
Son"? And again, when He brought the first begotten into the world,
He said, "And let all the angels of God adore Him." And to the
angels, indeed, He said, "He that maketh His angels spirits, and His
ministers a flame of fire." But to the Son, "Thy throne, O God, is for
ever and ever; a scepter of justice is Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved
justice and hated iniquity; therefore God, Thy God, has anointed Thee
with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows." And, "Thou in the
beginning, O Lord, didst found the earth: and the works of Thy hands
are the heavens. They shall perish, but Thou shall continue; and they
shall grow old as a garment: and as a vesture shalt Thou change them,
and they shall be changed: but Thou art the selfsame, and Thy years
shall not fail.
Gradual: Ps. xcvii 3-4 & 2
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God:
sing joyfully to God, all the earth. The Lord hath made known
His salvation: He hath revealed His justice in the sight of the
nations.
Alleluia, Alleluia. A sanctified day hath shone upon us:
come ye nations and adore the Lord: for this day a great light hath
descended upon the earth. Alleluia.
Gospel: John i: 1-14
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The beginning of the Holy Gospel according to John.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; and the Word
was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made
through Him, and without Him was made nothing that has been made. In
Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines
in the darkness; and the darkness grasped it not. There was a man,
one sent from God, whose name was John. This man came as a witness,
to bear witness concerning the light, that all might believe through
him. He was not himself the light, but was to bear witness to the
light. It was the true light that enlightens every man who comes into
the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him,
and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own
received Him not. But to as many as received Him, He gave the power of
becoming sons of God; to those who believe in His name: who were born
not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, not of the will of man,
but of God. [All genuflect] And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt
among us. And we saw His glory, glory as of the only-begotten of the
Father, full of grace and truth.
Credo.
Offertory: Psalm cxxxviii: 12 & 15
Thine are the heavens, and Thine is the earth, the world and the fullness thereof, Thou hast founded: justice and judgment are the preparation of Thy throne.
Secret:
The gifts we offer, do Thou, O Lord, sanctify by the new birth of Thine only-begotten Son: and cleanse us from the stains of our sins. Through the same Lord....
Proper Preface and Communicantes of Christmas
Communion: Psalm xcvii: 3
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Postcommunion
Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that as the Savior of the world born on this day is the author of our divine generation, so He may Himself also be to us the giver of immortality.
Last Gospel: Matthew ii: 1-12
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The continuation of the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Juda in the days of King Herod,
behold there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying, "Where
is He that is born King of the Jews?" For we have seen His star in
the east, and have come to adore Him. And King Herod, hearing this,
was troubled, and all of Jerusalem with him. And assembling together
all of the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of
them where the Christ should be born. But they said to him, "In
Bethlehem of Juda. For so it is written by the Prophet, 'And thou
Bethlehem, the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of
Juda, for out of thee shall come the leader that shall rule My people
Israel.'" Then Herod, privately calling the wise men, learned
diligently of them the time of the star that appeared to them, and
sending them into Bethlehem, said, "Go and diligently inquire after
the Child, and when you have found Him, bring me word again, so that
I also may come and adore Him. Who having heard the king went their
way. And behold the star, which they had seen in the East, went
before them until it came and stood over where the Child was. And
seeing the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And
entering into the house, they found the Child with Mary His Mother,
[Genuflect] and falling down they adored Him. And opening up their
treasures, they offered Him gifts; gold frankincense, and myrrh. And
having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to
Herod, they went back to their country by another way.
