The Octave Day of Christmas -Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God
Opening Hymn - 466 - What Child is This
1.What Child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ, the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary!
2. Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.[Chorus]
3. So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come, peasant, king to own Him.
The King of kings salvation brings;
Let loving hearts enthrone Him.[Chorus
1st Reading –
Numbers 6:22-27
The LORD said to Moses:
“Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them:
This is how you shall bless the Israelites.
Say to them:
The LORD bless you and keep you!
The LORD let his face shine upon
you, and be gracious to you!
The LORD look upon you kindly and
give you peace!
So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites,
and I will bless them.”
Responsorial Psalm –
Psalm 67
R. May God bless us in his mercy, may God bless us in his mercy.
O God, be gracious and bless us
and let your face shine upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth
and all nations learn your salvation.
R. May God bless us in his mercy, may God bless us in his mercy.
Let the nations be glad and shout for joy,
with uprightness you rule the peoples;
you guide the nations on earth.
R. May God bless us in his mercy, may God bless us in his mercy.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
May God still give us his blessing
that all the ends of the earth may revere him.
R. May God bless us in his mercy, may God bless us in his mercy.
2nd Reading –
Galatians 4:4-7
Brothers and sisters:
When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law,
to ransom those under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as sons.
As proof that you are sons,
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
So you are no longer a slave but a son,
and if a son then also an heir, through God.
Gospel –
Luke 2:16-21
The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem 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.
When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.
Prayer for Our Lady of Angels Parish
Heavenly Father, we thank you for gathering us together and calling us to serve as your disciples.
You have charged us through your Son, Jesus, with the great mission of evangelizing and witnessing your love to the world.
Send your Holy Spirit to guide us as we discern your will for the spiritual renewal of our parish.
Give us strength, courage, and clear vision as we use our gifts to serve you.
We entrust our parish family to the care of Mary, our mother, and ask for her intercession and guidance, as we strive to build a parish that loves God, embraces all people, and shares the Gospel joyfully.
Amen.
Offertory Hymn - Mother Mary, Pray for Us
Mother Mary, full of mercy,
hear your people, gentle one.
Help of Christians, friend of sinners,
How we need your prayer for us:
we, the children born of Eden,
prone to wander from your son.
Mother Mary, in your mercy,
pray for us.
Dearest Mary, heart of suff’ring,
love that wept beneath the cross,
see our wounds in need of tending.
Comfort of afflicted ones,
sweetest help of all in sorrow,
lift us to the heart of God.
Mother Mary, in your kindness,
pray for us.
Holy Mary, seat of wisdom,
give us vision to believe.
Cause of joy and of salvation,
lead the nations into peace.
Star of morning, interceding,
with a mother’s patient love,
Holy Mary, in your wisdom,
pray for us.
Mother Mary, in your mercy, pray for us.
Communion Hymn - 436 - Wood of the Cradle
Wood of the cradle, wood of the cross,
Bearing a lifetime of joy and of loss,
Who is your loved one?
Who could he be,
Born in a manger to die on a tree?
This, this is Jesus the Lord,
Here in the body and blood outpoured.
Come, come, come walk in his ways.
Kneel at the manger and rise from the grave.
Shepherds lie sleeping, deep in their dreams;
Angels awaken them. “What could this mean?
Whom do you herald? Whom must we find?
A child in a Manger? Our God born in time?”
This, this is Jesus the Lord,
Here in the body and blood outpoured.
Come, come, come walk in his ways.
Kneel at the manger and rise from the grave.
Star in the heavens bearing new light,
Guiding the sages and ages this night:
Where will you lead us? Where can he be,
The child born of myst’ry who died on a tree?
This, this is Jesus the Lord,
Here in the body and blood outpoured.
Come, come, come walk in his ways.
Kneel at the manger and rise from the grave.
Come, all who hunger, come, all who thirst;
Come, all who seek him. God's joy on the earth.
Find him a shelter, bright, safe, and warm;
See in all people his love being born.
This, this is Jesus the Lord,
Here in the body and blood outpoured.
Come, come, come walk in his ways.
Kneel at the manger and rise from the grave.
Recessional Hymn - 457 - Sing of Mary, Pure and Lowly
Sing of Mary, pure and lowly,
Virgin mother undefiled,
Sing of God's own Son most holy,
Who became her little child.
Fairest child of fairest mother,
God the Lord who came to earth,
Word made flesh, our very brother,
Takes our nature by his birth.
Sing of Jesus, son of Mary,
In the home at Nazareth.
Toil and labor cannot weary
Love enduring unto death.
Constant was the love he gave her,
Though he went forth from her side,
Forth to preach, and heal, and suffer,
Till on Calvary he died.
Glory be to God the Father;
Glory be to God the Son;
Glory be to God the Spirit;
Glory to the Three in One.
From the heart of blessed Mary,
From all saints the song ascends,
And the Church the strain reechoes
Unto earth's remotest ends.