DECEMBER 24, VIGIL OF THE NATIVITY Lectionary #13

The Vigil readings (used for Masses before the Mass at Midnight ) 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: 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 contain the praise of God for remaining faithful to the covenant.

Cantaré Eternamente/Forever 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

For Ever I Will Sing (della Picca) PC3 32/PRM B5

For Ever I Will Sing (Ferris) SMM4 12

For Ever I Will Sing (Foley) PCY7 29

For Ever I Will Sing (Guimont) RS 117

For Ever I Will Sing (Haugen) PCY2 27/GC 82/CBW 448/RS 118

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 (Kraehenbuehl) SMM5 16

For Ever I Will Sing (Kreutz) PC3 30/WC 398/PMB 157/WS 305

For Ever I Will Sing (Ridge) MI-BB/GP 226/SP3 53

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

I Will Sing Forever of Your Love (Inwood) MI-BB

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 Solemnity of the Nativity.]