DECEMBER 24, NATIVITY VIGIL MASS (A, B, C)  Lectionary #13

These readings are used at Mass celebrated in the evening of December 24 but before midnight. They may also be used for Masses of Christmas Day, with the option of choosing from one or another of the three sets of Christmas Day Masses depending on pastoral need.

The Vigil readings focus on Jesus' connection to the history of Israel.

Isaiah 62:1-5. Preaching to the community after the Babylonian Exile, the prophet called "Third Isaiah" looks at a ruined city and prophesies its glorious resurrection. The cause for hope is that God is bonded to Israel, so that Israel's history is part of God's unfolding plan.

Psalm for Vigil Mass: Ps (88) 89
Though the whole psalm is a royal lament, in which the king speaks for the people, the passages we sing at the Vigil praise God for remaining faithful to the covenant.

Cantaré Eternamente/For Ever I Will Sing (Krisman)   SS
Cantaré Eternamente (Martínez)  FYC 228
Cantaré Eternamente/For Ever I Will Sing (Reza)  FYC 229/JS 64
For Ever I Will Sing (Alstott)   JS 63
For Ever I Will Sing (Carroll/Gelineau)  WOR 778/RS 119/LPGG 778/SS
For Ever I Will Sing (della Picca)   PRM A5/PMB 566/WS 57
For Ever I Will Sing (Foley) PCY7 29
For Ever I Will Sing (Guimont)   GC 953/RS 117/LPMG 13
For Ever I Will Sing (Haugen)  PCY2 27/GC 49/CBW 448/RS 118/SS
For Ever I Will Sing (Hughes)  CCS 2027
For Ever I Will Sing (Janco)  GIA 3464
For Ever I Will Sing (Kogut) PCY10 41
For Ever I Will Sing (Kreutz)   PMB 157
For Ever I Will Sing (Ridge)  MI‑BB/GP 226/SP3 53
For Ever I Will Sing (Schiavone)   LP 20/JS 890
For Ever I Will Sing (Schoenbachler)  GP 227/SP1 52/MI-BB
For Ever I Will Sing (Somerville)  CBW 27
For Ever I Will Sing (Twynham)  CCS 2022

Acts 13:16-17, 22-25. Preaching to a Jewish congregation, Paul summarizes the Christian teaching that Jesus was part of God's plan for Israel and was a descendant of David.

Matthew 1:1-25. The “book of the genealogy” of Jesus Christ connects him to all of Israelite history, schematized in three groups. It also connects Jesus to non-Israelite history through the women (other than Mary), who were all non-Jews.

[For other songs for the liturgy, see the Solemnity of Christmas.]