Liturgical Information
The Nativity of the Lord – Mass during the Night [Midnight Mass] (ABC)
Liturgical Color: White [Note: "On solemn occasions more precious vestments may be used, even if not the color of the day" GIRM #346]
Themes: darkness/light, gladness, joy, glory, mystery, awe
Entrance Antiphon [Introit]:
The Lord said to me: You are my Son.
It is I who have begotten you this day. Psalm 2:7
— or —
Let us all rejoice in the Lord, for our Savior has been born in the world. Today true peace has come down to us from heaven. [Roman Missal]
Dominus dixit ad me: Filius meus es tu, ego hodie genuite.
Psalm verses:
- Quare fremuerunt gentes: et populi meditati sunt inania?
- Astiterunt reges terræ, et principes convenerunt in unum adversus Dominum, et adversus Christum eius.
- Postula a me, et dabo tibi gentes hereditatem tuam, et possessionem tuam terminos terræ. [Graduale Romanum, p.41]
Dominus dixit ad me: Filius meus es tu, ego hodie genuite.
Ps. Quare fremuerunt gentes: et populi meditati sunt inania? [Gregorian Missal, p.189]
One Mass setting is offered in the Graduale simplex for use at any of the Masses of Christmas.
Dominus dixit ad me: Filius meus es tu: ego hodie genuite. [Graduale simplex, p.64]
Verses of Psalm 2 can also be sung between repetitions of the antiphon.
Collect:
O God, who have made this most sacred night
radiant with the splendor of the true light,
grant, we pray, that we, who have known the mysteries of his light on earth,
may also delight in his glad-ness in heaven.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Ho-ly Spirit,
one God, for ev-er and ev-er.
A-men.
Lectionary Readings:
- Isaiah 9:1-6 [A son will be given to us. /v.6]
- Psalm 96:1-2 / 2-3 / 11-12 / 13 [R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord. /Lk 2:11]
- Titus 2:11-14 [The appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. /v.13]
- Gospel Verse: Luke 2:10-11 [I proclaim to you good news of great joy: today a Savior is born for us, Christ the Lord.]
- Luke 2:1-14 [There has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. /v.11]
See CNP's Book of Sung Gospels – Fourth Edition
Offertory Antiphon:
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice before the Lord, for he comes. Psalm 96:11a,13a **
Verses of Psalm 96 can also be sung between repetitions of the antiphon.
Lætentur cæli, et exsultet terra ante faciem Domini: quoniam venit. [Graduale Romanum, p.44]
Lætentur cæli, et exsultet terra ante faciem Domini: quoniam venit. [Gregorian Missal, p.192]
One Mass setting is offered in the Graduale simplex for use at any of the Masses of Christmas.
Lætentur cæli et exsultet terra ante faciem Domini, quoniam venit. [Graduale simplex, p.67]
Verses of Psalm 96 can also be sung between repetitions of the antiphon.
Prayer over the Offerings:
May the oblation of this day's feast
be pleasing to you, O Lord, we pray,
that through this most holy exchange
we may be found in the likeness of Christ,
in whom our nature is unit-ed to you.
Who lives and reigns for ev-er and ev-er. A-men.
Preface II of the Nativity of the Lord: [The restoration of all things in the Incarnation]
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.
For on the feast of this awe-filled mystery,
though invisible in his own divine nature,
he has appeared visibly in ours;
and begotten before all ages,
he has begun to exist in time;
so that, raising up in himself all that was cast down,
he might restore unity to all creation
and call straying humanity back to the heavenly Kingdom.
And so, with all the Angels, we praise you,
as in joyful celebration we acclaim:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts…
Communion Antiphon:
The Word became flesh, and we have seen his glory. John 1:14 [Roman Missal]
In splendoribus sanctorum, ex utero ante luciferum genui te. Psalm 110:3 [Graduale Romanum, p.44]
Psalm 110:1a,1b,2,3,4,5,7 can also be sung between repetitions of this antiphon.
In splendoribus sanctorum, ex utero ante luciferum genui te. Psalm 85:13 [Gregorian Missal, p.193]
One Mass setting is offered in the Graduale simplex for use at any of the Masses of Christmas.
Viderunt termini terræ salutare Dei nostri. [Graduale simplex, p.68]
Verses of Psalm 98 can also be sung between repetitions of the antiphon.
Prayer after Communion:
Grant, we pray, O Lord, our God,
that we, who are gladdened by participation
in the feast of our Redeemer's Nativi- ty,
may through an honorable way of life become worthy of un- ion with him.
Who lives and reigns for ev-er and ev-er. A-men.
Solemn Blessing: [2. The Nativity of the Lord]
May the God of infinite goodness,
who by the Incarnation of his Son has driven darkness from the world
and by that glorious Birth has illumined this most holy night,
drive far from you the darkness of vice
and illumine your hearts with the light of virtue.
Amen.
May God, who willed that the great joy
of his Son's saving Birth
be announced to shepherds by the Angel,
fill your minds with the gladness he gives
and make you heralds of his Gospel.
Amen.
And may God, who by the Incarnation
brought together the earthly and heavenly realm,
fill you with the gift of his peace and favor
and make you sharers with the Church in heaven.
Amen.
** An official, approved English translation of the Offertory Antiphon has never been published. The offertory antiphon used here is from the New American Bible, a Scripture translation approved for liturgical use in the United States.
The English translation of the Entrance Antiphon [Introit], Collect, Psalm Refrain, Gospel Verse, Prayer over the Offerings, Preface, Communion Antiphon, and Prayer after Communion from The Roman Missal, © Copyright 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corp. All rights reserved.
Excerpts from the First Reading, Second Reading and Gospel are taken from the New American Standard Bible ® © Copyright 1973 The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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