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

Child of the Poor (2)

Voice 1:
Helpless and hungry,
lowly he lies,
wrapped in the chill of midwinter;
comes now among us,
born into poverty’s embrace,
new life for the world.

Who is this who lives with the lowly,
sharing their sorrows,
knowing their hunger?

This is Christ,
revealed to the world
in the eyes of a child,
a child of the poor.

Voice 2:
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.

(Voice 1 and Voice 2 sing following together as a duet)

Voice 1: Bring all the thirsty,
all who seek peace;
bring those with nothing to offer.
Strengthen the feeble,
say to the frightened heart:
Fear not: here is your God!

Who is this who lives with the lowly,
sharing their sorrows,
knowing their hunger?

This is Christ,
revealed to the world
in the eyes of a child,
a child of the poor.

Voice 2:
So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come peasant, king, to own him;
The King of kings
salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone him.

This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard
and angels sing;
Haste, haste to bring him laud,
the babe, the son of Mary.

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 147:12-20

Ant. Joseph, Son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; the child in her womb has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Zion, praise your God!

For God has strengthened the bars of your gates,
and has blessed the children within you:
established peace on your borders,
and feeds you with finest wheat.

God sends out the word to the earth
and swiftly runs the command.
God showers down snow white as wool
and scatters hoar-frost like ashes.

God hurls down hailstones like crumbs.
The waters are frozen at his touch.
God sends forth the word, and it melts them:
At the breath of the Lord’s mouth, the waters flow.

God makes a word known to Jacob,
to Israel laws and decrees.
God has not dealt thus with other nations
and has not taught them his decrees.

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. Joseph, Son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; the child in her womb has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Canticle
Ephesians 1:3-10

Ant. The shepherds went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, with the child cradled in a manger.

Praised be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has bestowed on us in Christ
every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

God chose us in Him
before the world began
to be holy
and blameless in God’s sight.

God predestined us to be adopted children
through Jesus Christ,
such was God’s will and pleasure,
that all might praise the glorious favor
bestowed on us in the Beloved.

In Him and through his blood, we have been
redeemed,
and our sins forgiven,
so immeasurably generous
is God’s favor to us.

God has given us the wisdom
to understand fully the mystery,
the plan God was pleased
to decree in Christ.

A plan to be carried out in Christ,
in the fullness of time,
to bring all things into one in Him,
in the heavens and on earth.

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 shepherds went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, with the child cradled in a manger.

Reading

A Reading from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthinians
(2 Corinthians 8:9)

You are well acquainted with the favor shown you by our Lord Jesus Christ: how, for your sake, he made himself poor though he was rich, so that you might become rich by his poverty.

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. The child Jesus remained in Jerusalem and, his parents did not know it. They thought he was in the group of travelers and looked for him among their relatives and friends.

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. The child Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and his parents did not know it. They thought he was in the group of travelers and looked for him among their relatives and friends.

Intercessions

Let us adore the Son of the living God who humbled himself to become a son of a human family, and let us proclaim:
Child of Mary, hear our prayer.

Christ, by the mystery of your subjection to Mary and Joseph, teach all people reverence and obedience to lawful authority.
All creation, raise your voices:
Child of Mary, hear our prayer.

You were eager to be about your Father’s business, may he be honored in every home.
All creation, raise your voices:
Child of Mary, hear our prayer.

Christ, after three days your anxious parents found you in your Father’s house, teach all to seek first the kingdom of God.
All creation, raise your voices:
Child of Mary, hear our prayer.

Christ, as a child, you were separated from your parents for three days. Teach all to seek first the kingdom of God.
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.

Christ, you have made Mary and Joseph sharers in heavenly glory, admit the dead into the family of the blessed.
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

Father,
Help us to live as the Holy Family, united in respect and love. Bring us to the joy and peace of your eternal home. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
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. Text: Child of the Poor, Scott Soper, b. 1961, copyright 1994,
   What Child is This, William C. Dix, 1837-1898.
   Music: Child of the Poor, Scott Soper, b. 1961, copyright 1994,
   What Child is This, trad. English Melody, 16th century.
   Vocals: NickRitacco (Voice 1) and Alondra Garza (Voice 2).
   Piano: Benjamín Aguilar, O.Carm.
   Flute: Jeff Dellisanti.,

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.