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/BB
For Ever I Will Sing (Bolduc) WC 418
For Ever I Will Sing (Carroll/Gelineau)  WOR 778/RS 119/LPGG 778/SS
For Ever I Will Sing (della Picca)   PRM C5/PMB 566/WS
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 82/GC 49/CBW 448/RS 118/SS
For Ever I Will Sing (Hughes)  CCS 2027          
For Ever I Will Sing (Janco)  GIA 34641
For Ever I Will Sing (Kogut) PCY10 41
For Ever I Will Sing (Kreutz)    PMB 157/WC 417/WS
For Ever I Will Sing/Cantaré Eternamente (Krisman)   SS
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 Solemnity of the Nativity.]