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FIRST
SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
ISAIAH 63:7-9
PSALM
148
HEBREWS
2:10-18
MATTHEW
2:13-23
COLLECT
Almighty God,
you have shed upon us the new light
of your incarnate Word.
May this light, enkindled in our hearts,
shine forth in our lives;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
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A
READING FROM THE BOOK OF ISAIAH
I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord, the praiseworthy
acts of the Lord, because of all that the Lord has done for us,
and the great favour to the house of Israel that he has shown them
according to his mercy, according to the abundance of his
steadfast love. For he said, "Surely they are my people,
children who will not deal falsely"; and he became their
saviour in all their distress. It was no messenger or angel but
his presence that saved them; in his love and in his pity he
redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of
old.
ISAIAH 63:7-9
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PSALM
REFRAIN Alleluia.
Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights.
Praise
him, all you angels of his; praise him, all his host.
Praise
him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. R
Praise
him, heaven of heavens, and you waters above the heavens.
Let
them praise the name of the Lord; for he commanded, and they were
created.
He
made them stand fast for ever and ever; he gave them a law which
shall not pass away. R
Praise
the Lord from the earth, you sea-monsters and all deeps;
Fire
and hail, snow and fog, tempestuous wind, doing his will;
Mountains
and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars;
Wild
beasts and all cattle, creeping things and winged birds; R
Kings
of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the world;
Young
men and maidens, old and young together.
Let
them praise the name of the Lord, for his name only is exalted,
his splendour is over earth and heaven.
He
has raised up strength for his people and praise for all his loyal
servants, the children of Israel, a people who are near him.
Hallelujah! R
PSALM 148
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A
READING FROM THE LETTER TO THE HEBREWS
It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things
exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer
of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who
sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For
this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and
sisters, saying, "I will proclaim your name to my brothers
and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise
you." And again, "I will put my trust in him." And
again, "Here am I and the children whom God has given
me." Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he
himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he
might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the
devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by
the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help
angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become
like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might
be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to
make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because
he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help
those who are being tested.
HEBREWS 2:10-18
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THE
HOLY GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph
in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother,
and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is
about to search for the child, to destroy him." Then Joseph
got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt,
and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil
what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, "Out of
Egypt I have called my son." When Herod saw that he had been
tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed
all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or
under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise
men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet
Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud
lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be
consoled, because they are no more." When Herod died, an
angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt
and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to
the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child's life
are dead." Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother,
and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus
was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid
to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to
the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called
Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might
be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean."
MATTHEW 2:13-23
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PRAYER
OVER THE GIFTS
God of light,
in the birth of your Son we see your glory.
May we who share in this mystery
grow daily in your love.
This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.
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PRAYER
AFTER COMMUNION
Source of truth and joy,
may we who have received the gift of divine life
always follow the way of your Son.
This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.
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