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: Christ is born for us. Come let us adore him.

Psalm 95

Psalm 24

Psalm 67

Psalm 100

Antiphon 1: I lift up my heart to you, O Lord, and you will hear my morning prayer.

To my words give ear, O Lord,
give heed to my groaning.
Attend to the sound of my cries,
my King and my God.

It is you whom I invoke, O Lord.
In the morning you hear me;
in the morning I offer you my prayer,
watching and waiting.

You are no God who loves evil;
no sinner is your guest.
The boastful shall not stand their ground
before your face.

You hate all who do evil;
you destroy all who lie.
The deceitful and bloodthirsty man
the Lord detests.

But I through the greatness of your love
have access to your house.
I bow down before your holy temple,
filled with awe.

Lead me, Lord, in your justice,
because of those who lie in wait;
make clear your way before me.

No truth can be found in their mouths,
their heart is all mischief,
their throat a wide-open grave,
all honey their speech.

All those you protect shall be glad
and ring out their joy.
You shelter them; in you they rejoice,
those who love your name.

It is you who bless the just man
you surround him with favor as with a shield. Glory...

Psalm Prayer: Lord, all justice and all goodness come from you; you hate evil and abhor lies. Lead us, your servants, in the path of your justice, so that all who hope in you may rejoice with the Church and in Christ.

Antiphon 1 I lift up my heart to you, O Lord, and you will hear my morning prayer.


Antiphon 2 We praise your glorious name, O Lord our God.

Yours, O Lord, are grandeur and power,
majesty, splendor, and glory.

For all in heaven and on earth is yours;
yours, O Lord, is the sovereignty;
you are exalted as head over all.

Riches and honor are from you,
and you have dominion over all.
In your hand are power and might;
it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all.

Therefore, our God, we give you thanks
and we praise the majesty of your name.  Glory...

Antiphon 2 We praise your glorious name, O Lord our God.


Antiphon 3 Adore the Lord in his holy court.

O give the Lord, you sons of God,
give the Lord glory and power;
give the Lord the glory of his name.
Adore the Lord in his holy court.

The Lord's voice resounding on the waters,
the Lord on the immensity of waters;
the voice of the Lord, full of power,
the voice of the Lord, full of splendor.

The Lord's voice shattering the cedars,
the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon;
he makes Lebanon leap like a calf
and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The Lord's voice flashes flames of fire.

The Lord's voice shaking the wilderness,
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh;
the Lord's voice rending the oak tree
and stripping the forest bare.

The God of glory thunders.
In his temple they all cry: Glory!
The Lord sat enthroned over the flood;
the Lord sits as king for ever.

The Lord will give strength to his people,
the Lord will bless his people with peace. Glory...

Psalm Prayer:You live for ever, Lord and King. All things of the earth justly sing your glory and honor. Strengthen your people against evil that we may rejoice in your peace and trust in your eternal promise.

Antiphon 3 Adore the Lord in his holy court.


READING      - Isaiah 49:8-10
In a time of favor I answer you,
  on the day of salvation I help you,
To restore the land
  and allot the desolate heritages,
Saying to the prisoners: Come out!
  To those in darkness: Show yourselves!
Along the ways they shall find pasture,
  on every bare height shall their pastures be.  
They shall not hunger or thirst,
  nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them;
For he who pities them leads them
  and guides them beside springs of water.


RESPONSORY
The Lord has made known, alleluia, alleluia.
    -    The Lord has made known, alleluia, alleluia.
His saving power.
    -    Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
    -    The Lord has made known, alleluia, alleluia.


BENEDICTUS (Canticle of Zechariah)
Antiphon: Helpless, he lay in a manger; glorious, he shone in the heavens. Humbled, he lived among us; eternal, he dwelt with the Father.


INTERCESSIONS
Let us direct our prayers to Christ, the heavenly man and the new Adam, who became a life-giving spirit:

                        Lord, have mercy.

Christ, Sun of Justice, you revealed your glory in our human nature in order to bring to perfection the old covenant,
- we ask you to pour out your light upon us.

Christ, you were glorified by the angels, announced by the shepherds, confessed and proclaimed by Simeon and Anna,
- let your Gospel be accepted by the people of the promise.

Christ, when you were born, angels sang glory to God in the highest and peace on earth,
- we ask you to spread your peace throughout the world.

Christ, as the new Adam you gave new life to the old man and prepared for us a dwelling place in your kingdom,
- may those overwhelmed by evil be encouraged by hope in you.


Our Father...


COLLECT
Grant your people, O Lord, we pray,
unshakable strength of faith,
so that all who profess that your Only Begotten Son
is with you for ever in your glory
and was born of the Virgin Mary
in a body truly like our own
may be freed from present trials
and given a place in abiding gladness.
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.