The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

    See, the LORD proclaims
        to the ends of the earth:
    say to daughter Zion,
        your savior comes!
    Here is his reward with him,
        his recompense before him.
    They shall be called the holy people,
        the redeemed of the LORD,
    and you shall be called “Frequented,”
        a city that is not forsaken.

R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
   let the many isles be glad.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
   and all peoples see his glory.
R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.
Light dawns for the just;
   and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
   and give thanks to his holy name.
R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.

Beloved:
When the kindness and generous love 
of God our savior appeared,

not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
He saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to those
on whom his favor rests.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

When the angels went away from them to heaven,
the shepherds said to one another, 
“Let us go, then, to Bethlehem
to see this thing that has taken place, 
which the Lord has made known to us.”
So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, 
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God 
for all they had heard and seen, 
just as it had been told to them.