Theme: God's Definitive Word

Readings:
Is 52:7-10; Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6.
Heb 1:1-6
Jn 1:1-5, 9-14

Greeting (see Second Reading)

In our own time God has spoken to us
through his own Son,
the radiant light of God’s glory
through whom he made everything.
May this Son, Jesus the Lord, be with you.
R/ And also with you.

Introduction by the Celebrant

Many times in the course of history God spoke and his word was effective and liberating. He spoke, and the world was made. He spoke, and man and woman were created. He spoke, and he created the free nation of Israel, his Chosen People. But Israel refused to listen to God in the prophets and the gloom of sin over the world settled also over his people. God did not give up on humanity. He spoke his definitive Word, Jesus, and Jesus came and was born a child of people. He came to save us. Do we listen to his Word? Do we give him our word of acceptance and love?

Penitential Act

We hear God’s word in the Good News
and in the life of Jesus.
Do we respond to Jesus’ message?
Let us examine ourselves.
                        (pause)
Lord Jesus, you have brought to all nations
God’s justice and truth and love:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Jesus Christ, we sing a new song to you,
we ring out our joy at your coming:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus, we acclaim you as our Lord
for you have worked wonders among us:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.

Be merciful to us, Lord,
and speak your word that sets us free from sin.
Lead us to the joy of everlasting life. R/ Amen.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray
that God’s Word may be alive in us today
                        (pause)
Our faithful God,
you make yourself known
and speak to us through Jesus Christ,
your image and your living Word.
Open our ears and hearts,
that we may receive your Word and keep it.
Let your Word become flesh among us
also in our words of peace and truth
and in our deeds of justice and love,
of friendship and self-effacing service.
May this be the way by which people recognize
that your Son is alive among us today,
and may they praise you for ever. R/ Amen.

Scripture Readings

First Reading Introduction: The Good News of Liberation
     God announces liberation to his people in captivity. This liberation is brought to us today by Jesus.

First Reading: Is 52:7-10

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those
who bring good news,
who herald peace and happiness,
who proclaim salvation
and announce to Zion: "Your God is king!"

Together your watchmen
raise their voices in praise and song;
they see Yahweh face to face returning to Zion.

Break into shouts of joy,
O ruins of Jerusalem,
for Yahweh consoles his people
and redeems Jerusalem.

Yahweh has bared his holy arm
in the eyes of the nations;
all the ends of the earth, in alarm,
will witness God's salvation.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6.

R. (3c) All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Second Reading Introduction: Now God Speaks through His Son
      God has often spoken to people, but since the coming of his Son on earth, he speaks to us his definitive word, Jesus. In him we see what God means and who he is.

Second Reading: Heb 1:1-6

God has spoken in the past to our ancestors through the prophets, in many different ways, although never completely; but in our times he has spoken definitively to us through his Son.

He is the one God appointed heir of all things, since through him he unfolded the stages of the world.

He is the radiance of God's Glory and bears the stamp of God's hidden being, so that his powerful word upholds the universe.

And after taking away sin, he took his place at the right hand of the divine Majesty in heaven.

So he is now far superior to angels just as the name he received sets him apart from them. To what angel did God say: You are my son, I have begotten you today? and to what angel did he promise: I shall be a father to him and he will be a son to me? On sending his Firstborn to the world, God says: Let all the angels adore him.

Gospel Introduction: And the Word Became Flesh
      The evangelist John speaks to us of the mystery of Jesus: he is the image of the Father, God’s Word became human with us, God’s light in our darkness, God liv­ing among us. Do we accept him as he is?

Gospel Reading: Jn 1:1-5, 9-14

In the beginning was the Word.
And the Word was with God and the Word was God;
he was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him
and without him nothing came to be.

Whatever has come to be, found life in him,
life which for humans was also light.
Light that shines in the dark:
light that darkness could not overcome.
For the Light was coming into the world,
the true Light that enlightens everyone.
He was already in the world
and through him the world was made,
the very world that did not know him.

He came to his own,
yet his own people did not receive him;
but all who have received him
he empowers to become children of God
for they believe in his Name.
These are born, but without seed
or carnal desire or will of man:
they are born of God.

And the Word was made flesh;
he had his tent pitched among us,
and we have seen his Glory,
the Glory of the only Son
coming from the Father:
fullness of truth and loving-kindness.

Commentary • Gospel Reflection by Fr. Gerry Pierse, C.Ss.R.

General Intercessions

In our defective human words let us voice our prayers and desires to God our Father, who wants to be our God-with-us through Jesus, and let us say: R/ Speak your Word to us, Lord.

–    For all who speak the Word of God, that they themselves may be filled and touched with it and out of this fullness proclaim it with conviction and warmth, let us pray:
R/ Speak your Word to us, Lord.

–    For all who hear the Word of God, that they may receive it and treasure it in their hearts and let it bear fruits of justice and peace, let us pray:  R/ Speak your Word to us, Lord.

–    For all who do not yet know Jesus Christ, God’s living Word and image, that the lives of many convinced Christians may open their eyes to Jesus, the true light who came among his people, let us pray: R/ Speak your Word to us, Lord.

–    For those who speak words of bitterness or hatred and cry out their loneliness and misery, that the Lord may enable us to speak to them comforting words of hope and love, let us pray:
R/ Speak your Word to us, Lord.

–    For the People of God on earth, that we may live in peace with God and with one another, that the light of Christ may turn us into lamps lighting the paths of people, let us pray:
R/ Speak your Word to us, Lord.

God our Father, through Jesus your Son you entered our world and know our needs and desires. Always give us not what we ask but what we really need, and stay with us through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Prayer over the Gifts

Our loving God and Father,
you let Jesus speak his mighty word
and these gifts of bread and wine
become his flesh and blood
for the life of the world.
Let your Son also speak to us
from heart to heart,
that he may fill our empty words
with the power of integrity and truth
and that he may change us, timid as we are,
into people of peace and courage,
who live without compromise
the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.

Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer

Break into shouts of joy together, for the Lord has come to save his people. We thank and praise the Father in heaven for the gift of his Son to us and to the world.

Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer

God will hear our stammering words
if we pray to him with Jesus: R/ Our Father...

Prayer for Peace

Lord Jesus Christ,
you entered our world
as the Father’s Word of peace.
Give your people and every nation
a peace based on justice and truth.
Dispose us to offer to one another
signs of reconciliation
and to speak words of welcome and peace.
Unite us in the peace of your kingdom
where you live for ever and ever. R/ Amen.

Invitation to Communion

This is Jesus, God’s living Word,
the true light that shines on all people.
Happy are those who receive him,
for he makes them children of God.
R/ Lord, I am not worthy...

Prayer after Communion

Lord God, almighty Father,
you have filled us with the Word
and the body of Jesus your Son.
You have entrusted your Son to us;
may his word of Good News be on our lips
to tell it to one another
and may we give shape and life to it
by building up his community of justice and love.
Let us become with him
your word and your gift
and your sign of hope to the world.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. R/ Amen.

Blessing

God has spoken to us here today
not in mere promises
but in the living person of his own Son.
He came as the light brightening our darkness.
How could we still be in the dark?
He has made us children of God.
Do we live as sons and daughters of God?
He came to bring light and life
to all the world.
Have we spread his light
and shared his life?
In the joy of Christmas,
let us not forget our task
to give him to the world.
And may God bless and keep you all:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.

Go in the peace of Christ
and bear witness to his love. R/ Thanks be to God.

Gospel Commentary (Wednesday)

An unmistakable sign of God's presence is joy. No amount of money can purchase joy. It is not pleasure. It is more than happiness. St. Francis of Assisi, the saint who so loved Christmas, invented our tradition of building a Christmas crib and danced for joy while cradling the bambino. He found that his joy increased the less he was attached to material things. The one Christmas gift that really matters is Jesus. In Jesus we see God face to face. He is the divine way of being human and the human way of being divine. He is the true light that enlightens all people and gives us power to become children of God. No one has ever seen God, but the only Son who is nearest to the Father's heart has made God known.