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CHRISTMAS,
PROPER III
ISAIAH 52:7-10
PSALM
98
HEBREWS
1:1-4 (5-12)
JOHN
1:1-14
COLLECT
Almighty God,
you wonderfully created
and yet more wonderfully restored our human nature.
May we share the divine life of your Son Jesus Christ,
who humbled himself to share our humanity,
and now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
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A
READING FROM THE BOOK OF ISAIAH
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who
announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." Listen! Your
sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in
plain sight they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth
together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the Lord has
comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has
bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the
ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
ISAIAH 52:7-10
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PSALM
Refrain All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our
God.
Sing
to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous things.
With
his right hand and his holy arm has he won for himself the
victory. R
The
Lord has made known his victory; his righteousness has he openly
shown in the sight of the nations.
He
remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel, and
all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God. R
Shout
with joy to the Lord, all you lands; lift up your voice, rejoice,
and sing.
Sing
to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the voice of song. R
With
trumpets and the sound of the horn shout with joy before the King,
the Lord.
Let
the sea make a noise and all that is in it, the lands and those
who dwell therein. R
Let
the rivers clap their hands, and let the hills ring out with joy
before the Lord, when he comes to judge the earth.
In
righteousness shall he judge the world and the peoples with
equity. R
PSALM 98
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A
READING FROM THE LETTER TO THE HEBREWS
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by
the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son,
whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created
the worlds. He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact
imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his
powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down
at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much
superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent
than theirs.
[For
to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son;
today I have begotten you"? Or again, "I will be his
Father, and he will be my Son"? And again, when he brings the
firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels
worship him." Of the angels he says, "He makes his
angels winds, and his servants flames of fire." But of the
Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and
the righteous sceptre is the sceptre of your kingdom. You have
loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God,
has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your
companions." And, "In the beginning, Lord, you founded
the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will
perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like clothing; like
a cloak you will roll them up, and like clothing they will be
changed. But you are the same, and your years will never
end."]
HEBREWS 1:1-4 (5-12)
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THE
HOLY GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO JOHN
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came
into being through him, and without him not one thing came into
being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was
the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the
darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose
name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so
that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light,
but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which
enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the
world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world
did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people
did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in
his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born,
not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man,
but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we
have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of
grace and truth.
JOHN 1:1-14
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PRAYER
OVER THE GIFTS
God of peace,
your Son Jesus Christ has reconciled us to you.
May all we offer you today
renew us as members of your household.
We ask this in his name.
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PRAYER
AFTER COMMUNION
Father of all,
the child born for us is the Saviour of the world.
May he who made us your children
welcome us into your kingdom,
where he is alive and reigns with you now and for ever.
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