Christmas Day Mass 2020

 St Leo's 

Christmas Day Mass
2020


 Gathering Song:



Greeting

Penitential Act: Confiteor

I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,

through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault;

Therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints; and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.


-AND/OR-


Lord have Mercy,

Christ have Mercy,

Lord have Mercy



Liturgy of the Word


1st Reading IS: 52:7-10

How beautiful upon the mountains

are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,

announcing peace, bearing good news,

announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,

“Your God is King!”


Hark!  Your sentinels raise a cry,

together they shout for joy,

for they see directly, before their eyes,

the LORD restoring Zion.

Break out together in song,

O ruins of Jerusalem!

For the LORD comforts his people,

he redeems Jerusalem.

The LORD has bared his holy arm

in the sight of all the nations;

all the ends of the earth will behold

the salvation of our God.

The Word of the Lord,

        ~Thanks be to God



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.




2nd Reading Heb 1:1-6

Brothers and sisters:

In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways

to our ancestors through the prophets;

in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son,

whom he made heir of all things

and through whom he created the universe,

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,

as far superior to the angels

as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

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?

And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says:

Let all the angels of God worship him.


The Word of the Lord,

        ~Thanks be to God




Alleluia Isaiah 60:1


R. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! 

Your light has come! 

The glory of the Lord shines upon you!

R. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.




Gospel Jn 1:1-18

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 came to be through him,

and without him nothing came to be.

What came to be through him was life,

and this life was the light of the human race;

the light shines in the darkness,

and the darkness has not overcome it.

A man named John was sent from God.

He came for testimony, to testify to the light,

so that all might believe through him.

He was not the light,

but came to testify to the light.

The true light, which enlightens everyone,
was coming into the world.

He was in the world,

and the world came to be through him,

but the world did not know him.

He came to what was his own,

but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him

he gave power to become children of God,

to those who believe in his name,

who were born not by natural generation

nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision

but of God.

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.

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.’”

From his fullness we have all received,

grace in place of grace,

because while the law was given through Moses,

grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God.

The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,

has revealed him.

The Gospel of the Lord,

        ~Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ


Homily


Profession of Faith:
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;

through Him all things were made.

For us men and for our salvation He came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. 
For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, He suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and His kingdom will have no end. 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the
Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets. 
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.


Universal Prayer: Prayers of Petition         
~ Lord, hear our prayers


Liturgy of the Eucharist

Eucharistic Acclamations:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.    ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ When we eat this bread and drink this cup,
we proclaim your death oh Lord, until you come again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Amen, Amen, A----men
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Lord’s Prayer 

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. Amen.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

        For the kingdom, the power and glory are yours now and forever.~Amen

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sign of Peace
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
Communion Song:





Spiritual Communion:

My Jesus, I believe that you are present

in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things,

and I desire to receive you into my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,

Come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace You as if You were already there

And unite myself wholly to You.

Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.


Concluding Rite


Closing Song:


Vocations Prayer
Heavenly Father,

Bless our diocese with the grace of many vocations

to the priesthood, diaconate and to religious life.

Through the intercession of the Blessed Mother,

grant to those You have called

the willingness and the generosity of spirit

to give of themselves in devoting their lives and their talents

to the service of our Lord and to His Church.


Increase the faith of all within our diocese,

and especially the faith of those You are calling.

We ask this through Christ, Your Son our Lord. ~ Amen