SUNDAY IN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS: HOLY FAMILY A Lectionary #17
Family life is not merely day-to-day living; even such mundane relationships are part of the divine plan. The way he was formed by his own family life shaped Jesus to become our savior.
Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14. The text offers traditional wisdom about the way children should care for their parents, but it concludes with the promise that behavior toward parents will be judged by God; it shapes our union with God.
Psalm of the Day: Ps (127) 128
This wisdom psalm suggests that fidelity to God will be rewarded in a happy family life. While this does not always seem to come true, it points out the more basic belief that our faith is connected to our daily behavior.
Blessed Are Those Who Fear the Lord (Alstott) BB
Blessed Are Those Who Fear the Lord (Guimont) GC2 996/LPMG 17
Blessed Are Those Who Fear the Lord (Schiavone) LP 24/JS 894
Blessed Are You Who Fear the Lord (Rendek/Burns) PRM A10/PMB 570
Dichoso el que Teme (Contreraz) Cantos 78
Dichoso el que Teme al Señor (García) FYC 267
Dichoso el que Teme al Señor (Taulé) FYC 266
Dichosos Los Que Temen al Señor/Blessed Are Those Who Fear the Lord (Schiavone) SS
Happy Are Those (Somerville) CBW 33
O Blessed Are Those (Gelineau) CBW 431/LPGG 782
O Blessed Are Those (Inwood) JS 104/MI‑BB/GP 273/SP2 68
O Happy Are Those (Gelineau) WOR 782/RS 172
Suggested Common Psalm: Ps (97) 98
All the Ends of the Earth (see suggestions for Christmas Mass during the Day)
Colossians 3:12-21. The final paragraph in this reading, one of the more controversial texts from Paul's letters, may be used today, or it may be omitted. After a set of basic instructions on how to behave as believers and within the community, Paul tells wives to “be subordinate.” This was routine advice in his time. The next piece of advice—“Husbands, love your wives”—was not routine, because wives were only slightly better off than slaves or small children in that society. Paul, in effect, was trying to blindside Christian men into a new way of behavior.
Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23. Matthew is explaining why Jesus, born in Bethlehem and thought to be a descendant of David, wound up living in Nazareth and saying nothing about his royal connections. On a human level, it was the fear of the Herodian dynasty that caused this, but even that fearful decision fulfilled the prophecies.
Songs for the Liturgy
**Blest Are Those Who Love You (Ps) GC 125/GC2 70/CBW 628/PCY2 43/RS 173/WC 435/WS
Bread of Life (Farrell) Advent/Christmas setting (1,G) JS 819/BB
Child of Gladness (G) CBW 326
Child of the Poor (G) JS 366/GP 336/BB
Christ, You Are the Fullness (2) CBW 431
Come, Sing a Home and Family (G) PMB 220/WC 962/WS
*Coventry Carol (G)
Faith, Hope and Love (2) GC 624/GC2 609
Faithful Family (2) GP 365/GC 413
For the Beauty of the Earth (2) GC 572/GC2 548/WOR 557/GP 704/CBW 531/WC 950/JS 642/MI‑BB/RS 697/PMB 517/WS
God Is Love (2) CBW 473/MI‑BB/GC 629/GC2 608/JS 749/RS 744/GP 647
God Made from One Blood (1) RS 824
God of Adam, God of Joseph RS 960/GC 893/GC2 870/JS 361
God of Eve and God of Mary RS 959/GC 892/GC2 871/JS 360
*How Happy You Who Fear the Lord (Ps) PMB 336/WC 675
Love One Another (2) RS 745/GC 630/JS 752/MI‑BB/GP 645
Love Which Never Ends GP 465/MI-BB/JS 573
Once in Royal David's City (G) WOR 402/GC 372/GC2 380/WC 485/RS 526/PMB 205/JS 362/BB
Our Father, by Whose Name (1,2,G) WOR 570/RS 961
*Our God Dwells in His Holy Place (E) IH 9
*Our Savior’s Infant Cries Were Heard (G) HG 98
Sing of Mary (G) WOR 404/GP 432/MI‑BB/LMGM 100/WC 975/GC 783/GC2 778/JS 490/RS 528/PMB 538/WS
The Aye Carol RS 525/GC 371/GC2 381
The Greatest Gift (2) PMB 334/WC 674/WS
The Snow Lay on the Ground (G) JS 354/BB/WC 496/PMB 221
Ubi Caritas (2) WOR 604/GC 408/GC2 430, 568, 601/CBW 67, 376/WC 810, 813/MI‑BB/RS 746/JS 753, 754, 805/GP 364/PMB 428, 430/WS
*We Praise You, vss 6‑7 (Ps) GP 677/GC 541/GC2 540/MI‑BB/RS 694/JS 626
What Child Is This (G) WOR 411/LMGM 29/GP 337/BB/CBW 338/GC 380/GC2 387/WC 514/JS 365/RS 530/PMB 216/WS
When Love Is Found (2) WOR 745/WC 676/CBW 629/RS 942/GC 865/GC2 856/MI-BB/PMB 337/JS 568/WS
Where Charity and Love Prevail (2) GC 625/GC2 610/MI‑BB/WC 816, 820/JS 756/RS 747/GP 644/PMB 424, 429/WS
Where There Is Love (2) MI‑BB/CBW 631/JS 569/GP 464
Entrance Antiphon: Luke 2: 16
| Title of Anthem, Voicing & Instrumentation | Composer/arranger/editor | Publisher & edition # | |
| All Wisdom Comes from the Lord, Op. 62 (SA, Organ) | Joubert, John | Novello (MT 1535) | 1 |
| And Jesus Increased in Wisdom (SAB) | Hahn, Harvey E. | Concordia (98-2100) * | |
| Blessed are All They That Fear the Lord (SATB, organ) | Sowerby, Leo | H.W. Gray (CMR 1573) | PS |
| Blest Are All Who Fearfully Love the Lord (SATB, Organ) English/Latin Blest Are All Who Fearfully Love the Lord (SATB, Organ) English/Latin |
Purcell, Henry | Dartmouth Oxford (A 245) |
PS |
| Canticle of Fellowship (SATB) | Courtney, Craig | Beckenhorst (BP-1349) | 2 |
| Every Word and Thought (Solo SATB Quartet, SATB, 2 Violins, Viola & Continuo) German/English |
Buxtehude, Dietrich | Concordia (97-6279) * | 2 |
| Gentle Psalm, A (SATB) | Clark, Keith | Presser (312-40932) | PS |
| Happy Are You (SATB, Baritone) | Marshall, Jane | Augsburg (11-0686) * | PS |
| How Blest Are They (Unison, Flute, Keyboard) | Proulx, Richard | Augsburg (11-0654) | PS |
| Let the Word of Christ (Unison) | Gieseke, Richard W. | Concordia (98-2903) | 2 |
| May the Word of Christ (2-part, keyboard, C-instrument) | Schultz | Concordia (98-3001) * | 2 |
| My Son, Wherefore Hast Thou Done This to Me? (SAB soloists, SATB, 2 Violins, 2 Violas & Continuo) German/English |
Schütz, Heinrich | Concordia (97-9347 * | |
| Pastores Loque Bantur (SSATBB) Latin/English | Victoria, Tomas Luis/Payson, Arnold | Franck (F 538) | E |
| Psalm 128 (Soprano, SATB, Keyboard) | Berger, Jean | Broude Brothers (BB-3054) | PS |
| Psalm 128 (SATB, Piano or Organ) | Wetzler, Robert | Augsburg (11-0646) * | PS |
| Put On Therefore, As God's Elect (SATB, Organ) | Barnes, Edward S. | H. W. Gray (1337) | 2 |
| See What Love Hath the Father (SATB) | Mendelssohn | Augsburg | 2 |
| Singing with Grace in Your Heart (Alto, SATB, Piano/Organ) | Mueller, Carl F. | Carl Fischer (6710) | 2 |
| Son, Why Have You Treated Us So? (2-part treble, keyboard) | Bender, Jan | Concordia (98-1963) * | |
| Virgin Born We Bow Before You (SATB) | Chepponis | GIA | G |
| You Are the People of God (Unision) | Becker, John | Concordia (98-2603) * | 2 |
| Wedding Anthem (SATB) | Oliver | Novello (#29-0478-00) | PS |
* out of print