Lord, open my lips.
 - And my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Psalm 95 is the traditional Invitatory Psalm. Psalm 24, 67, or 100 may be substituted.

Antiphon: Come let us worship the Lord, the King who is to come.

Psalm 95

Psalm 24

Psalm 67

Psalm 100

God, come to my assistance.
 - Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
 -  as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever.
Amen. (Alleluia.)


HYMN

The everlasting Son
comes down to Mary’s womb;
He bears our human servitude
To save us from our doom.

O Zion, rise in haste
to meet the meek and mild;
Throw wide your arms; embrace the peace
Brought by this holy child.

As Judge, on glist’ning clouds,
the Victor comes again
To take his members back in joy
With him to heaven then.

Let dark and evil deeds
retreat before his dawn;
Our new life must advance in grace;
The old one must be gone.

We praise your Father blest;
Your spirit, too, we praise;
Emancipator, Christ, our Lord,
We’ll praise you all our days!
Words: Instantis Adventum Dei, Charles Coffin 1736; Melody: Doncaster 6.6.6.6, Samuel Wesley, 1837; Midi: Cyberhymnal


PSALMODY

Antiphon 1: The Lord is coming without delay. He will reveal things kept hidden and show himself to all mankind, Alleluia.

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed;
the Lord has robed himself with might,
he has girded himself with power.

The world you made firm, not to be moved;
your throne has stood firm from of old.
From all eternity, O Lord, you are.

The waters have lifted up, O Lord,
the waters have lifted up their voice,
the waters have lifted up their thunder.

Greater than the roar of mighty waters
more glorious than the surgings of the sea,
the Lord is glorious on high.

Truly your decrees are to be trusted.
Holiness is fitting to your house,
O Lord, until the end of time. Glory...

Psalm Prayer: All power and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to you, Lord Jesus; you rule with decrees that are firm and trustworthy. Be with us always so that we may make disciples whose holiness will be worthy of your house.

Antiphon 1 The Lord is coming without delay. He will reveal things kept hidden and show himself to all mankind, Alleluia.


Antiphon 2 Mountains and hills shall be level, crooked paths straight, rough ways smooth. Come, Lord, do not delay, Alleluia.

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
You heavens, bless the Lord.
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord.
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord.
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord.
All you winds, bless the Lord.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord.
Nights and days, bless the Lord.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.

Let the earth bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord.
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.
You springs, bless the Lord.

Seas and rivers, bless the Lord.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord.
You sons of men, bless the Lord.

O Israel, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord.
Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord.
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise and exalt him above all forever.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven.
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.

Antiphon 2 Mountains and hills shall be level, crooked paths straight, rough ways smooth. Come, Lord, do not delay, Alleluia.


Antiphon 3 I shall enfold Zion with my salvation and shed my glory around Jerusalem, Alleluia.

Praise the Lord from the heavens,
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his host.

Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, shining stars.
Praise him, highest heavens
and the waters above the heavens.

Let them praise the name of the Lord.
He commanded: they were made.
He fixed them for ever,
gave a law which shall not pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth,
sea creatures and all oceans,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy winds that obey his word;

all mountains and hills,
all fruit trees and cedars,
beasts, wild and tame,
reptiles and birds on the wing;

all earth's kings and peoples,
earth's princes and rulers,
young men and maidens,
the old men together with children.

Let them praise the name of the Lord
for he alone is exalted.
The splendor of his name
reaches beyond heaven and earth.

He exalts the strength of his people.
He is the praise of all his saints,
of the sons of Israel,
of the people to whom he comes close. Glory...

Psalm Prayer: Lord, extolled in the heights by angelic powers, you are also praised by all earth's creatures, each in its own way. With all the splendor of heavenly worship, you still delight in such tokens of love as earth can offer. May heaven and earth together acclaim you as King. May the praise that is sung in heaven resound in the heart of every creature on earth

Antiphon 3 I shall enfold Zion with my salvation and shed my glory around Jerusalem, Alleluia..


READING     Romans 13:11-12
It is now the hour for you to wake from sleep, for our salvation is closer now than when we first accepted the faith. The night is far spent, the day draws near. Let us cast off the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.


RESPONSORY
Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
 -- Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
You are the one who is to come,
 - have mercy on us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
 - Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.


BENEDICTUS (Canticle of Zechariah)
Antiphon: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, Mary; you have no need to be afraid. You will carry in your womb the Son of God, Alleluia.


INTERCESSIONS
To God our Father. who has given us the grace to wait in joyful hope for the revelation or our Lord Jesus Christ, let us make our prayer:

                        Show us your mercy Lord.

Sanctify us in mind and body,
- keep us without sin until the coming of your Son.

Make us walk this day in holiness,
- and live upright and devout lives in this world.

May we be clothed in our Lord Jesus Christ,
- and filled with the Holy Spirit.

Lord, help us to stand watchful and ready,
 - until your Son is revealed in all his glory.

Our Father...


COLLECT
O God, who see how your people
faithfully await the feast of the Lord’s Nativity,
enable us, we pray,
to attain the joys of so great a salvation
and to celebrate them always
with solemn worship and glad rejoicing.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.


May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.


The English translation of Psalm Responses, Alleluia Verses, Gospel Verses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); the English translation of Antiphons, Invitatories, Responsories, Intercessions, Psalm 95, the Canticle of the Lamb, Psalm Prayers, Non-Biblical Readings from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1973, 1974, 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved. Used with permission.