Christmas Midnight Mass

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!" Your watchmen lift up their voice. Together they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord returns to Zion. Break out into joy! Sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has made his holy arm bare in the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.

The Lord has made known his salvation. He has openly shown his righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his loving kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

He has remembered his loving kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Burst out and sing for joy, yes, sing praises!

Sing praises to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the voice of melody. With trumpets and sound of the ram's horn, make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.

God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels as the more excellent name he has inherited is better than theirs. For to which of the angels did he say at any time, "You are my Son. Today I have become your father?"1:5 Psalms 2:7

and again, "I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?"1:5 2 Samuel 7:14; 1 Chronicles 17:13

When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, "Let all the angels of God worship him."1:6 Deuteronomy 32:43 LXX

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn't overcome it.

There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light. The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own, and those who were his own didn't receive him. But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God's children, to those who believe in his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

The Word became flesh and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the only born Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about him. He cried out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before me.'" From his fullness we all received grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only born Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared him.