First reading
Isaiah 52:7–10
Rejoice, for the Lord is consoling his people.
Responsorial psalm
Psalm 97(98):1–6
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Second reading
Hebrews 1:1–6
God has spoken to us through his Son.
Gospel acclamation
A hallowed day has dawned upon us. Come, you nations, worship the Lord, for today a great light has shone down upon the earth.
Gospel
John 1:1–18
The Word was made flesh, and lived among us.
Images from the Word
- Joseph too went up
- Her firstborn
- Let us go
- Lying in a manger
- Testify to the light
- Children of God
Liturgical notes
The nature of the ministerial priesthood also puts into its proper light another reality, which must indeed be highly regarded, namely, the royal priesthood of the faithful, whose spiritual sacrifice is brought to completeness through the ministry of the Bishop and the priests in union with the Sacrifice of Christ, the one and only Mediator. For the celebration of the Eucharist is an action of the whole Church, and in it each one should carry out solely but completely that which pertains to him or her, in virtue of the rank of each within the People of God.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §5
The days of Christmas remind us that through our Christian initiation, we come to share in the very life of Christ. As Christ was anointed priest, prophet and king, so we come to share in being one with Christ in his priesthood. Both the ordained and the baptismal priesthood must minister together for the fullness of the priesthood of Christ to be exercised in the Church.
‘Let us all rejoice in the Lord, for our Saviour has been born in the world. Today true peace has come down to us from heaven.’
—entrance antiphon