Nativity of the Lord - Proper III

FIRST READING

Isaiah 52:7-10

Verse 7. How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Verse 8. Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, together they shout for joy. For every eye will see when the LORD returns to Zion. Verse 9. Break forth in joy, sing together, O ruins of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted His people; He has redeemed Jerusalem. Verse 10. The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.

PSALM

Psalm 98

A Psalm. Sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand and holy arm have gained Him the victory.

The LORD has proclaimed His salvation and revealed His righteousness to the nations.

He has remembered His love and faithfulness to 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; break forth — let your cry ring out, and sing praises!

Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, in melodious song with the harp.

With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn shout for joy before the LORD, the King.

Let the sea resound, and all that fills it, the world, and all who dwell in it.

Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy

before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity.

SECOND READING

Hebrews 1:1-4, (5-12)

Verse 1. On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. Verse 2. But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. Verse 3. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Verse 4. So He became as far superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is excellent beyond theirs.

GOSPEL

John 1:1-14

Verse 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Verse 2. He was with God in the beginning. Verse 3. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. Verse 4. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. Verse 5. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Verse 6. There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John. Verse 7. He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him everyone might believe. Verse 8. He himself was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. Verse 9. The true Light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. Verse 10. He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. Verse 11. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. Verse 12. But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God — Verse 13. children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God. Verse 14. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.