Nativity of the Lord or Christmas, During the Day Years ABC 2022
Jesus is the Word of Creation and the Son, the Word become flesh. His message is peace and reconciliation, which he brought about through his death. He became man so that we might become one with God. This calls for commitment, obedience, proclamation, and worship.
Title
Outline
We have two poetic readings today, both about the Word
In the beginning was the Word
This is the one who speaks, but also the one who came, whom God calls “son.”
This is Christmas, [brothers and] sisters.
Readings
FIRST READING
Isaiah 52:7–10
7 How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of the one bringing good news,
Announcing peace, bearing good news,
announcing salvation, saying to Zion,
“Your God is King!”
8 Listen! Your sentinels raise a cry,
together they shout for joy,
For they see directly, before their eyes,
the LORD’s return to Zion.
9 Break out together in song,
O ruins of Jerusalem!
For the LORD has comforted his people,
has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The LORD has bared his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations;
All the ends of the earth can see
the salvation of our God.
RESPONSE
Psalm 98:3c
3 He has remembered his mercy and faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God.
PSALM
Psalm 98:1–6
1 A psalm.
Sing a new song to the LORD,
for he has done marvelous deeds.
His right hand and holy arm
have won the victory.
2 The LORD has made his victory known;
has revealed his triumph in the sight of the nations,
3 He has remembered his mercy and faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God.
4 Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth;
break into song; sing praise.
5 Sing praise to the LORD with the lyre,
with the lyre and melodious song.
6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
shout with joy to the King, the LORD.
SECOND READING
Hebrews 1:1–6
CHAPTER 1
1 In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; 2 in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe,
3 who is the refulgence of his glory,
the very imprint of his being,
and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
When he had accomplished purification from sins,
he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
4 as far superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say:
“You are my son; this day I have begotten you”?
Or again:
“I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me”?
6 And again, when he leads the first-born into the world, he says:
“Let all the angels of God worship him.”
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Text
GOSPEL
Option A
John 1:1–18
CHAPTER 1
1 In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be 4 through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
5 the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 A man named John was sent from God. 7 He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
11 He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.
12 But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, 13 who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.
15 John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ ” 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace, 17 because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.
Notes
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2022 | CHRISTMAS
NATIVITY OF THE LORD OR CHRISTMAS
DURING THE DAY
YEARS ABC | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY
On the same date: Nativity of the Lord, Midnight; Nativity of the Lord, Dawn
First Reading Isaiah 52:7–10
Response Psalm 98:3c
Psalm Psalm 98:1–6
Second Reading Hebrews 1:1–6
Gospel Acclamation Text
Gospel John 1:1–18 or John 1:1–5, 9–14