Entrance Antiphon
Let us celebrate with joy the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for from her arose the sun of justice, Christ our God.
Collect
Impart to your servants, we pray, O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin may bring deeper peace to those for whom the birth of her Son was the dawning of salvation. Through our Lord…
FIRST READING
The time when she who is in labour pains has brought forth.
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Micah (Micah 5:2-5a)
Thus says the Lord: You, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labour pains has brought forth; then the rest of his brethren shall return to the sons of Israel. And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And this shall be peace.
The word of the Lord.
Or the following:
FIRST READING
Those whom God foreknew he also predestined.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans (Romans 8:28-30)
Brethren: We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 13:5.6 (R.Isaiah61:10a)
R/. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord.
As for me, I trust in your merciful love.
Let my heart rejoice in your salvation. R.
I will sing to the Lord
who has been bountiful with me. R.
ALLELUIA
Alleluia. Blessed are you, O holy Virgin Mary, and worthy of all praise, because from you arose the sun of justice, Christ our God. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 1:1-16.18-23)
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
* Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel” (which means, God with us).
The Gospel of the Lord.
Shorter form: Matthew1:18-23.Read between*
Today’s Reflection
It is said that there are two days in the life of every person that are the most important: the day we are born and the day we discover why. Today, we remember the birth of an important figure in the history of salvation: Mary the mother of our saviour. Though there is no record of the day she was born, the Church has set today aside for her birthday. Today we give thanks for her life and her life and her selfless service in the plan of salvation. She remains a model of how faith is experienced and expressed. What we remember of Mary’s life was her loving obedience to the will of God. If our faith must shine out like hers, we need to follow in her footsteps even as she strives to lead us to her son. Happy Birthday, darling Heavenly Mum!