Mass at Night (Midnight)
Mass at the Vigil
Catechism Links [1]
CCC 456-460, 566: “Why did the Word become flesh?”
CCC 461-463, 470-478: the Incarnation
CCC 437, 525-526: the Christmas mystery
CCC 439, 496, 559, 2616: Jesus is the Son of David
CCC 65, 102: God has said everything in his Word
CCC 333: the incarnate Christ worshipped by the angels
CCC 1159-1162, 2131, 2502: the Incarnation and images of Christ
“Nativity with Saints” by Ortolano 1520s |
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.
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Commentary on Is 62:11-12
“Since the sixth century, Christian tradition has used this poem in the liturgy of Christmas day. The birth of Jesus has brought about the joyful union of God and mankind in a way that surpasses that described in terms of spousal union. A monk of the Middle Ages makes this beautiful comment: ‘Like the bridegroom who comes out of his chamber the Lord came down from heaven to dwell on earth and to become one with the Church through his incarnation. The Church was gathered together from among the Gentiles, to whom he gave his dowry and his blessings –his dowry, when God was made man; his blessings, when he was sacrificed for their salvation. ‘(Fausto de Riez, Sermo 5 in Epiphania).” [5]
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 97:1, 6, 11-12
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.
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Commentary on Ps 97:1, 6, 11-12
"Heb: 'simhah, the opening word of the second line is a pun, meaning both radiance and joy. And acclaim His holy name, namely praise Him, may be a stock psalm phrase; see Psalm 30:5. The psalm concludes with a call to rejoice, echoing joy, a major theme of the psalm. It thus asserts that joy rather than fear is the proper reaction to God's great power - at least for those who are righteous." [6]
Reading 2: Titus 3:4-7
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,
He saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
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.
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Commentary on Ti 3:4-7
CCC: Ti 3:5 1215; Ti 3:6-7 1817
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Gospel: Luke 2:15-20
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.”
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.
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Commentary on Lk 2:15-20
CCC: Lk 2:19 2599
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Reflection:
[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture is “Nativity with Saints” by Ortolano 1520s.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] The Navarre Bible: “Major Prophets,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, pp.267-68.
[6] The Jewish Study Bible, © 2004 Oxford University Press, New York, NY, p. 1391.
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