Call to Worship

While making the sign of the cross:

God, come to our assistance.
Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!

Hymn

Born This Day (1)

The people who wandered in darkness
have seen a marvelous light.
And on those who lived too long in the shadows,
a great light shines.

There is a child born this day.
A son who will lead us to greatness and glory.
He shall be Wonderful Counselor, powerful God,
always faithful father, faithful prince of peace.

The burden that weighed on our shoulders
is lifted on this wonderful day.
God has granted us abundant rejoicing
that knows no end.

There is a child born this day.
A son who will lead us to greatness and glory.
He shall be Wonderful Counselor, powerful God,
always faithful father, faithful prince of peace.

The people who wandered in darkness
have seen a marvelous light.
And on those who lived too long in the shadows,
a great light shines.

There is a child born this day.
A son who will lead us to greatness and glory.
He shall be Wonderful Counselor, powerful God,
always faithful father, faithful prince of peace.

PSALMODY

Psalm 141:1-9

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense, my hands like an evening offering.
O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

Lord, I am calling: hasten to help me.
Listen to me as I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise before you like incense,
my hands like an evening offering.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

Lord, set a guard at my mouth,
keep watch at the gate of my lips.
Let my heart not turn to things that are wrong,
to sharing the evil deeds done by the sinful.
No, I will never taste their delights.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

The good may reprove me,
In kindness chastise me,
but the wicked shall never anoint my head.
Every day, I counter their malice with prayer.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

To you, Lord my God, my eyes are turned:
In you I take refuge; do not forsake me.
Keep me safe from the traps they have set for me,
from the snares of those who do evil.

O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like
incense, my hands like an evening offering.

Praise to the Father, praise to the Son,
all praise to the life giving Spirit.
As it was, is now and shall always be
for ages unending. Amen.

Ant. O Lord, let my prayer rise before you like incense, my hands like an evening offering. (2)

Psalm Prayer

Lord,
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
your name is worthy of all praise.
Let our prayer come like incense before you.
May the lifting up of our hands
be as an evening sacrifice
acceptable to you,
Lord, our God.

Psalm 110

Ant. You have been endowed from your birth with princely gifts; in eternal splendor, before the dawn of light on earth, I have begotten you.

The Lord’s revelation to my Master:
“Sit on my right:
your foes I will put beneath your feet.”

The Lord will wield from Zion
your scepter of power:
rule in the midst of all your foes.

A prince from the day of your birth
on the holy mountains;
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.

The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.
“You are a priest for ever,
a priest like Melchizedek of old!”

The Master standing at your right hand
will shatter rulers in the day of his great wrath.
He shall drink from the stream by the wayside
and therefore he shall lift up his head.

Glory to Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now and will be forever. Amen

Ant. You have been endowed from your birth with princely gifts; in eternal splendor, before the dawn of light on earth, I have begotten you.

Canticle
Philippians 2:6-11

Ant. The eternal Word, born of the Father before time began, today emptied himself for our sake and became flesh.

Though he was in the form of God
Jesus did not deem equality with God
something to be grasped at.

Rather, he emptied Himself
and took the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.

He was known to be of human estate,
and it was thus that he humbled Himself,
obediently accepting even death,
death on a cross.

Because of this,
God highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
above every other name,

So that at Jesus’ name
every knee must bend
in the heavens, on the earth,
and under the earth,

and every tongue proclaim
to the glory of God the Father:
Jesus Christ is Lord!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now and will be forever. Amen.

Ant. The eternal Word, born of the Father before time began, today emptied himself for our sake and became flesh.

Reading

A Reading from the First Letter of St. John
(1 John 1:1-3)

This is what we proclaim to you: what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked upon and our hands have touched — we speak of the word of life. This life became visible; we have seen and bear witness to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life that was present to the Father and became visible to us.

What we have seen and heard, we proclaim in turn to you
so that you may share life with us. This fellowship of ours is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Take a few moments to reflect on the reading.

Responsory

The Word was made flesh, alleluia, alleluia.
The Word was made flesh, alleluia, alleluia.
He lived among us.
alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The Word was made flesh, alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Canticle
Canticle of Mary

The Magnificat (3)
Luke 1:46-55

Ant. Christ the Lord is born today; today, the Savior has appeared. Earth echoes songs of angel choirs, archangels’ joyful praise. Today on earth his friends exult: Glory to God in the highest, alleluia.

While making the sign of the cross:

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
My spirit sings to God, my saving God,
Who on this day above all others favored me
And raised me up, a light for all to see.

Through me great deeds will God make manifest
And all the earth will come to call me blest.
Unbounded love and mercy sure will I proclaim
For all who know and praise God’s holy name.

God’s mighty arm, protector of the just,
Will guard the weak and raise them from the dust.
But mighty kings will swiftly fall from thrones corrupt.
The strong brought low, the lowly lifted up.

Soon will the poor and hungry of the earth
Be richly blest, be given greater worth.
And Israel, as once foretold to Abraham,
Will live in peace throughout the promised land.

All glory be to God, Creator blest,
To Jesus Christ, God’s love made manifest,
And to the Holy Spirit, gentle Comforter,
All glory be, both now and evermore.

Ant. Christ the Lord is born today; today, the Savior has appeared. Earth echoes songs of angel choirs, archangels’ joyful praise. Today on earth his friends exult: Glory to God in the highest, alleluia.

Intercessions

At the birth of Jesus, angels proclaimed peace to the world.
We worship him now with joy, and we pray with hearts full of faith:
Child of Mary, hear our prayer.

Lord, fill your holy people with whatever good they need,
let the mystery of your birth be the source of our peace.
All creation, raise your voices:
Child of Mary, hear our prayer.

You came as chief shepherd and guardian of our lives. Let the pope and bishops be faithful channels of your many gifts of grace.
All creation, raise your voices:
Child of Mary, hear our prayer.

King from all eternity, you desired to be born within time
and to experience the day-to-day life of men and women,
share your gift of unending life with us, weak people, doomed to death.
All creation, raise your voices:
Child of Mary, hear our prayer.

Awaited from the beginning of the world, you came only in the fullness of time, now reveal your presence to those who are still expecting you.
All creation, raise your voices:
Child of Mary, hear our prayer.

For the sick who have asked us to accompany them with our prayers, that they may experience your merciful and healing touch today.

Please pray aloud the names of those who are sick or in need of healing.

All creation, raise your voices:
Child of Mary, hear our prayer.

You became a human being and gave new life to our human condition in the grip of death; now, give the fullness of life to all who have died.
All creation, raise your voices:
Child of Mary, hear our prayer. (4)

The Lord’s Prayer

And now let us pray with confidence as Christ our Lord asked:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.

Closing Prayer

God of love, Father of all,
The darkness that covered the earth
has given way to the bright dawn of
your Word made flesh.
Make us a people of this light.
Make us faithful to your Word,
that we may bring your life to the waiting world.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Blessing

While making the sign of the cross:

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and
bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

Salve Regina (5)
Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiæ,
vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevæ,
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos
misericordes oculos ad nos converte;
Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel,
Pray for us.
St. Joseph,
Pray for us.
Sant’Angelo,
Pray for us.

Let us spend this evening in peace.
Thanks be to God.

Credits and Permissions
All text and music are in the public domain
or used with permission:
OneLicense A-726188. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise stated, all music
is published by OCP or a division of OCP.
Julian Pardo produces all audio.
Michael Aguilar, Jr. produces all videos.

1. Lyrics: Ken Canedo, based on Isaiah 9:1-2a, 5
   Music: Ken Canedo, copyright 2004, 2005.
   Lead Vocals: Brooke Moltrum
   Choir: Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm.,
   Matthew Gummess, O.Carm., and Nick Ritacco.
   Viola: Briana Bandy
   Guitar, Bass & Percussion: Julian Pardo
   Piano: Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm.,

2. Text: Based on Psalm 141:1-5,8-9,
   Doxology; Paul Inwood, b. 1947.
   Music: Paul Inwood; Text and Music copyright, 1984-1985.
   Vocals: Steven Begert-Clark and The Carmelites.
   Piano:Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm.
   Bells: Julian Pardo.

3. Lyrics: Based on Luke 1:68-79; Owen Alstott, b. 1947.
   Copyright 1993.
   Music: Bernadette Farrell, b. 1957. Copyright 1993.
   Vocals: Steven Begert-Clark.
   Other Vocals: Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm., Alondra Garza, Matthew Gummess, O.Carm., and Nick Ritacco.
   Piano: Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm.
   Bells: Julian Pardo.

4. From ‘General Intercessions-Christmas.’
   Text: Gabe Houck, copyright 2004.
   Music: Based on DIVINUM MYSTERIUM, adapted & arranged by Tony E. Alonzo, copyright 2004.
   Vocals: Nick Ritacco and The Carmelites.

5. Text: Latin, attr. to Hermannus Contractus, 1013-1054; English, Paul F. Ford, b. 1947, © 1995, Paul F. Ford.
   Music: Chant, Mode V; guitar acc.© 1993, OCP.
   Vocals: The Carmelites, including Matthew Gummess, O.Carm., Carl Markelz, O.Carm., Ryan J. Resurreccion, O. Carm.,, Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm.