Genealogy Tuesday Morning

December 25
BIRTH OF OUR LORD
Ramsho
INTRODUCTION
DOXOLOGY
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as we begin and until we conclude.
May mercy and compassion be poured forth upon us
in this world and the next.
O Lord, our God, to you be glory for ever.
Amen.
OPENING PRAYER
Lord God,
on this evening of your birth in the flesh,
help us in purity of heart to glorify you with the seraphim,
unhesitatingly to bless you with the cherubim,
shamelessly to magnify you with the powerful,
blamelessly to celebrate you with the angels,
unceasingly to thank you with the shepherds,
perpetually to adore you with the Magi,
and deep within ourselves to rejoice in you with Joseph and Mary.
Then we will glorify you and sing with the angels:
“Glory to god in the highest and peace on earth and good will
to men,”
now and for ever. Amen.
GREETING
Peace be with the Church and her children.
PRAISE OF THE ANGELS
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace on earth and good will to all.
Praise the Lord all you nations,
glorify him all you peoples,
for steadfast is his mercy toward us,
and the truth of the Lord endures for ever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever.
and peace on earth and good will to all.

PSALMODY
FIRST PRAYER
Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
Blessed be the invisible Son who revealed himself to us.
He became man without changing his divinity
and grew as a child.
Let us adore the humility of him who left the
throne of the majesty
to be born in a cave and be wrapped in swaddling clothes.
To him be glory and thanksgiving,
now and for ever. Amen.
PSALM OF THE DAY
Antiphon:
The Lord said to me, “You are my son; this day
I have begotten you.”
Psalm 2
Why do the nations rage
and the people utter folly?
The kings of the earth rise up,
and the princes conspire together
against the Lord and against his anointed.
“Let us break their fetters
and cast their bond from us!”
He who is throned in heaven laughs:
the Lord derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
he terrifies them in his wrath!
“I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”

I will proclaim the decree of the Lord:
the Lord said to me, “You are my son:
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your
possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.”
An now, O kings give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice
before him;
with trembling pay homage
to him,
Lest he be angry and you perish from
the way,
when his anger blazes suddenly.
Happy are all who take refuge in him!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
SECOND PRAYER
Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
Holy One and Son of the Most High,
our praises rise before your throne.
May we now glorify you with the choirs of heaven
on this day of your birth
and sing with them:
“Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth and
good will to men,”
now and for ever. Amen.

EVENING PSALMS
Psalm 141:1-4
O Lord, to you I call; hasten to me;
harken to my voice when I call upon you.
Let my prayer come like incense before you;
the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice.
O Lord, set a watch before my mouth,
a guard at the door of my lips.
Let not my heart incline to the evil
of engaging in deeds of wickedness
With men who are evildoers;
and let me not partake of their dainties.
Psalm 142
With aloud voice I cry out to the Lord;
with a loud voice I beseech the Lord.
My complaint I pour out before him;
before him I lay bare my distress.
When my spirit is faint within me,
you know my path.
In the way along which I walk
they have hid a trap for me.
I look to the right to see,
but there is no one who pays me heed.
I have lost all means of escape;
there is no one who cares for my life.
I cry out to you, O Lord:
I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land
of the living.”
Attend to my cry,
for I am brought low indeed.

Rescue me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me.
Lead me forth from prison,
that I may give thanks to your name.
The just shall gather around me
when you have been good to me.
Psalm 119: 105-112
A lamp to my feet is your word,
a light to my path.
I resolve and swear
to keep your just ordinances.
I am very much afflicted;
O Lord, give me life according to your word.
Accept, O Lord, the free homage of my mouth,
and teach me your decrees.
Though constantly I take my life in my hands,
yet I forget not your law.
The wicked have laid a snare for me,
but from your precepts I have not strayed.
Your decrees are my inheritance forever;
the joy of my heart they are.
I intend in my heart to fulfill you statutes
always to the letter.
Psalm 117
Praise the Lord, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
For steadfast is his mercy toward us,
and the truth of the Lord endures for ever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever. Amen.
Alleluia.

[HYMN]
ˇ
The Hymn, “The Resurrection of Christ” (page 165) may
be sung following the Evening Psalms.
HOOSOYO
PROEMION
Praise, glory and honor to the Son of God,
hidden in the heart of his eternal Father,
to the Son of man,
born of a womb that was full of grace.
To him, the Good One, is due glory and honor this evening,
and all the days of our lives,
now and for ever. Amen.
SEDRO
Praise and thanksgiving to you, eternal Child.
You are the hidden light without beginning which
illumines the world,
the ancient of days who is born the infant son of the
daughter of David.
You are the Lord who is pleased with a manger in a cave,
the Most High who was wrapped in swaddling clothes,
the awesome One who was recounted in the songs of the
daughters of David.
We now contemplate in wonder the mystery of our salvation
and exclaim:
How marvelous are you, O God,
who became man without changing anything in your
divine nature;
How marvelous are you, O God,
who descended into a cave while heaven and earth are filled
with your glory;
How marvelous are you, O God,
who gathered together angels, shepherds and magi
that they might adore you.

By your birth you reconciled heaven and earth
and destroyed the will that separated those below from
those above.
By your birth we have received hope;
by your birth you saved us from the bondage of evil
and the chains of sin;
by your birth light shone on the earth and darkness
was dispelled;
by your birth those who were far off came and joined in
the feast with those who were near.
Today the angels announce to the shepherds:
“In the city of David a Savior is born to you who is
Christ the Lord.”
We ask you, wonderful Child,
through the intercession of your Mother, the
holy Virgin,
to receive our incense and prayers.
May we understand the mystery of your incarnation;
grant us the pardon of our sins and faults;
keep far from us sickness os soul and body;
strengthen and support the foundations of your Church,
and remember our dead who rest in your hope.
With them may we stand at your right hand
and glorify you, for ever. Amen.
QOLO
Holy are you, O God, you descended from the heights to the
creatures of the earth.
Holy are you, O Strong One, you assumed a body and humbled
yourself by coming to our earth.
Holy are you, O Immortal One, you were born today as a man,
wrapped in swaddling clothes, laid in a manger and fed with milk.
Throughout this day the creatures of heaven and earth celebrate the memory of your birth, and the Church sings you songs of
praise and glory.

ETRO
We adore you, Son of the Father and Son of the Virgin.
By your bodily birth you revealed God,
reconciled us with him who dwells on high,
lifted the veil from that which was hidden
and enlightened with knowledge that which the mind
cannot comprehend.
Receive our incense and our prayers
and grant us the light of your knowledge and the forgiveness
of our sins,
give rest to the souls of the dead,
and we will praise and glorify you,
now and for ever. Amen.
READINGS
MAZMOORO
Today, an infant is born to us whose name is “Wonderful”
it is the Son of God born as an infant in a cave.
From the highest mountains is proclaimed: “His name is
“Wonderful”, and praise rises to the eternal Son who
is born in time.
Here a star has shone on Jacob, a leader has risen in Israel;
the prophets and the scriptures are made clear.
SYNAXARION
The Divine Liturgy in the Maronite tradition often mentions the title “Mary, Mother of the Light.” The opening prayer of the liturgy used to mention it every day. This title is rich in theological and spiritual significance and is indeed one of the treasures of the Maronite Church.
The image of light conveys a sense of joy, festivity, and life. Religion uses the image of light to express the notion of purity and the presence of God. Since light is the element which is proper to the divine Being, from ancient times the pagans adored the sun. At the end of December, the pagans celebrated a feast dedicated to the “Unconquerable Sun.” In fact, on December 21st the nights, which had been becoming longer and longer, begin to shorten. The ancients celebrated this conquest of the light over the darkness.

When Constantine granted freedom for Christians to worship publicly, it was appropriate to replace the celebration of the Unconquerable Sun, with the Feast of the New Sun of the world, to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Light of the world (John 3: 19).
The image of light is found throughout salvation history. The Aramaic Fathers of the Antiochene tradition teach us that creation is a preparation for the incarnation of the Son of God. All was created by the Father, through the Son.
Scripture tells us that the first thing that was created is the sun: it is the heavenly body which gives forth light, warmth and life itself.
The sun is the image of the Son of God because Christ himself is that light which comes from heaven. As a ray of light coming through a cloud, he appeared from the Virgin Mary.
When God created the world, he separated the light from the darkness and throughout the Old Testament, one finds the light and the darkness contrasted with one another. In the New Testament, there is a constant struggle between the light and the darkness.
The genealogy in the gospel account of Matthew describes the human ancestry of Jesus and, as such, lists the sinners whose sins Jesus had to bear. This is the side of darkness in the spiritual realm. Saint John describes Jesus as coming from God, light from light: “I have come to the world as its light to keep anyone who believes in me from remaining in the dark” (John 12: 46).
The account of the birth of Jesus contains the image of light throughout. The shepherds saw a great light, “The glory of the Lord shone around them” (Luke 2:9). The Magi saw a brilliant star in the skies, and followed it (Matthew 2: 9-11). The shepherds said, “let us go”, and the Magi said, “we saw a light and we came” (Luke 2: 15; Matthew 2:2).
Throughout the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we find the image of light used to express his divinity. His baptism was a true revelation and, as such, a great enlightenment. During the transfiguration, Jesus was surrounded by light (Matthew 17: 2-5). When Jesus died on the cross, darkness came upon the earth (Matthew 27: 45) and the soldier, standing at the foot of the cross, was moved to say, “Truly, this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27: 54).
The resurrection itself was blinding light (Matthew 28: 2). The descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is described as “tongues of fire” (Acts 2: 3). Upon seeing a great light and being thrown from his horse,
Saul came to believe (Acts 9:3). While in prison, Peter saw a bright light and was freed from his chains (Acts 12: 6).
Just as the shepherds and Magi saw and followed the light, we who have seen the Light must follow. Jesus told us, “Walk while you have the light” (John 2: 19; 5:34, 12:35-36). This feast of the Birth of Our Lord, the Light of the world, should be an inventive for us to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).
“The night shall be no more. They will need no light from lamps or the sun, for the Lord God shall give them light and they shall reign forever” (Revelation 22:5).
SCRIPTURE READINGS
A Reading from the Prophet Isaiah
Isaiah 9: 1-6
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, As they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as men make merry when dividing spoils. For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, And the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed, as on the day of Midian. For every boot that tramped in battle, every cloak rolled in blood, will be burned as fuel for flames. For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-counselor, God-hero, Father-forever, Prince of Peace.
His dominion is vast and forever peaceful,

From David’s throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains By judgment and justice, both now and forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!
A Reading from the Book of Numbers
Numbers 24: 12-19
Balaam replied to Balak, “Did I not warn the very messengers whom you sent to me, ‘Even if Balak gave me his house full of silver and gold, I could not of my own accord to anything, good or evil, contrary to the command of the LORD’? Whatever the LORD says I must repeat. “But now that I am about to go to my own people, let me first warn you what this people will do to your people in the days to come.” Then Balaam gave voice to his oracle: The utterance of Balaam, son of Beor, the utterance of the man whose eye is true, The utterance of one who hears what God says, and knows what the Most High knows, Of one who sees what the Almighty sees, enraptured and with eyes unveiled. I see him, though not now; I behold him, though not near: A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel, That shall smite the brows of Moab, and the skulls of all the Shuthites, Till Edom is dispossessed, and no fugitive is left in Seir. Israel shall do valiantly, and Jacob shall overcome his foes.

SUPPLICATION
O Lord, by your marvelous birth you save us!
O believers, the Word is made flesh. During the night,
the savior of all was born.
Adam’s sin is canceled by the crying of a child and David rejoices at his heir.
O Herod and people of Israel, why are you troubled?
The Magi come to him, offering him their gifts.
The angels awaken the sleeping shepherds.
The love of the Lord is poured out on all creatures below.
Blessed are we for we are raised higher than
heavenly beings.
Mary, worthy are you to receive the most beautiful of creatures.
He is the glory of the universe.
As the archangel predicted, worshipers come to the cave at
Bethlehem and the truth is made manifest.
The star of Jacob appeared and enlightened those
in darkness.
The mystery of salvation is begun and fulfilled in the Word.
The astonished people proclaim:
Wonderful are you, O Lord our God, who lie in a crib
like the poorest of poor.
You were made man to redeem all of humanity; all you
peoples glorify him.
Sing out and praise him with the most beautiful of hymns.
Let us cry out, the sun has appeared.
The promise is fulfilled and our salvation is accomplished;
let us give him thanks at all times.
Only Son of the Father, begotten before all time, you promised that you would become flesh in time; you became the Son
of Mary, the daughter of David.
Kings from foreign lands come to adore the infant in the crib; the baby is venerated and glorified.
Isaiah’s promise of a blessed and wonderful birth
is fulfilled.

HOOTOMO
Let us thank, adore, and praise the holy and glorious Trinity: Father, Son, ✛Holy Spirit. Amen.
TRISAGION
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Holy are you, O God;
Holy are you, O Strong One;
Holy are you, O Immortal One;
have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Lord, forgive us and have mercy on us.
Lord, hear us and have mercy on us.
Lord, accept our worship and our prayers.
Lord, come to our assistance and have mercy on us.
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who are in heaven;
hallowed be your name;
your kingdom come;
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil,
For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.
Amen.
O Lord, the night and the day are yours;
you uphold the light and the sun.
Through your power you direct the sequence of the seasons.
O Lord,
you have brought the day to its close and called forth the night; be for us that great Day that never ends.
In the evening let your light shine in our hearts,
and in the darkness of the night

enlighten us with the knowledge of your truth.
And so, through all the days of our lives,
we shall praise you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
To you be glory and may your mercy rest upon us,
now and for ever.
Amen.
EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE
Let us thank God for all the graces he has bestowed on us
this day which has passed in calm and peace.
Let us recall our failings against the commandments of God
and the Church in thought, word, deed and omission
We ask for God’s pardon as we pray:
“Forgive us, Jesus!”
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Glory be to you, O Lord.
Glory be to you, O Lord.
Glory be to you, O Lord.
God,
Father in heaven,
by your living and holy name,
keep us from evil an lead us not into temptation;
for we call upon you, O Lord, our God, our constant hope,
glory to you for ever.
O Lord, our Lord,
may our humble worship be pleasing to you;
may our prayers come before you and our actions give
you honor.
Let you mercy, kindness, help, graces and divine love
be poured abundantly upon us poor sinners,
both in heaven and on the earth
which you have created in your goodness.
O Lord, our God, to you be glory for ever.
Amen.

DISMISSAL
Peace be with you.
And also with you.
O God,
through the prayers of your Mother and the saints who have
believed in you;
through the prayers of the prophets, apostles, martyrs and
confessors;
through the prayers of the just, the priests, the holy fathers, pastors and teachers of the truth faith;
and through the prayers of N., Pope of Rome, N., our Patriarch, and N., our Bishop,
forgive your people and have mercy on your flock.
May God bless, forgive, sanctify, purify, and keep each of the faithful united with us in this spiritual office.
May mercy and compassion be upon us and all the faithful who
dwell here.
May peaceful rest be granted to those who have died in the faith.
May the faithful who live here experience the protection of
Christ’s victorious cross.
May we and all his servants, who adore him with bowed heads,
receive the mercy of the holy and glorious Trinity
Father, Son, ✛ Holy Spirit, to whom be glory now and for ever.
Amen.
May God forgive your sins,
pardon your failings,
and deliver you from the power of the enemy.
May he grant you the remission of your offenses.
Go in peace, and pray to Christ for me.

December 25
BIRTH OF OUR LORD
Safro
INTRODUCTION
DOXOLOGY
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as we begin and until we conclude.
May mercy and compassion be poured forth upon us
in this world and the next.
O Lord, our God, to you be glory for ever.
Amen.
OPENING PRAYER
O Christ our God,
may we rejoice with Mary your Mother and Joseph
your chosen one,
and thank, glorify, adore and exalt you on the memorial of
your birth,
may we sing with the angels:
“Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth and good will
to men,”
now and for ever. Amen.
GREETING
Peace be with the Church and her children.
PRAISE OF THE ANGELS
Glory to God in the highest,
and peace on earth and good will to all.
Praise the Lord all you nations,
glorify him all you peoples,
for steadfast is his mercy toward us,
and the truth of the Lord endures for ever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever.
and peace on earth and good will to all.

PSALMODY
FIRST PRAYER
Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
Christ Jesus,
you are Son of the Father from all eternity
and Son of Mary in time.
O God become man, make us like God
and children of your Father through grace.
Make us one with God and each other
through the love which unites us to you,
your Father and your Holy Spirit.
We will glorify you,
now and for ever. Amen.
PSALM OF THE DAY
Antiphon:
O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with
your justice, the king’s son.
Psalm 72
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with you justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
The mountains shall yield peace for the people,
and the hills justice.
He shall defend the afflicted among the people,
save the children of the poor,
and crush the oppressor.
May he endure as long as the sun,
and like the moon through all generations.
He shall be like rain coming down on the meadow,
like showers watering the earth.

Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more,
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
His foes shall bow before him,
and his enemies shall lick the dust.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles
shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall
bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.
For he shall rescue the poor man when
he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one
to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and
the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
From fraud and violence he shall redeem them,
and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
May he live to be given the gold of Arabia,
and to be prayed for continually;
day by day shall they bless him.
May there be an abundance of grain
upon the earth;
on the tops of the mountains the
crops shall rustle like Lebanon;
the city dwellers shall flourish like
the verdure of the fields.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth
be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous deeds.
And blessed forever be his glorious name;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
Amen. Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
[HYMN]
The Hymn, “ The Church” ( 168) may be sung after
the Psalm of the Day.
SECOND PRAYER
Lord have mercy on us and save us.
Glory to you, O hidden One,
you were veiled to the cherubim and seraphim
and yet you were revealed to us in a crib,
wrapped in swaddling clothes.
You are the new Adam,
head of a renewed humanity who returned to Adam
his inheritance
and restored to us the glory we enjoyed in paradise.
Filled with hope, let us now celebrate the memory of your birth and we will glorify and thank you for ever. Amen.
NUHRO (HYMN OF LIGHT)
The Light of the just and joy of the upright in Christ Jesus,
our Lord.
Begotten of the Father, he manifested Himself to us.
He came to rescue us from darkness and to fill us with the
radiance of his light.
Day is dawning upon us; the power of darkness is fading away.
From the true Light there arises from us the light which illumines our darkened eyes.

His glory shines upon the world and enlightens the very depths of the abyss.
Death is annihilated, night has vanished, and the gates of Sheol are broken.
Creatures lying in darkness from ancient times are clothed in
light.
The dead arise from the dust and sing because they have a Savior.
He brings salvation and grants us life.
He ascends to his Father on high.
He will return in glorious splendor and shed his light on those gazing upon him.
Our King comes in majestic glory,
Let us light our lamps and go forth to meet him.
Let us find our joy in him, for he has found joy in us.
He will indeed rejoice us with his marvelous light.
Let us glorify the majesty of the Son and give thanks to
the almighty Father, who,
in an outpouring of love, sent him to us, to fill us with
hope and salvation.
When he manifests himself, the saints awaiting him in
weariness and sorrow,
will go forth to meet him with lighted lamps.
The angels and guardians of heaven will rejoice in the
glory of the just and upright people of the earth;
together, crowned with victory, they will sing hymns and psalms.
Stand up then and be ready!
Give thanks to our King and Savior, who will come in great
glory to gladden us with his marvelous light in his kingdom.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever. Amen. Alleluia.
[HYMN]
Either the Hymn, “The Return of Christ” (page 169) or the
Hymn, “Christ the Light” (page 169) may be sung after the
Nuhro.

THIRD PRAYER
Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
Lord,
by your holy birth grant us a time of peace and blessings,
and we will join our voices to those of the angels who sing:
“Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth and good will
to men,”
now and for ever. Amen.
MORNING PSALMS
Psalm 148
Alleluia.
Praise the Lord from the heavens,
praise him in the heights;
Praise him, all you his angels,
praise him, all you his hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens.
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he commanded and they were created;
He established them forever and ever;
he gave them a duty which shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea monsters and all depths;
Fire and hail, snow and mist,
storm winds that fulfill his word;
You mountains and all you hills,
you fruit trees and all you cedars;

You wild beasts and all tame animals,
you creeping things and you winged fowl.
Let the kings of the earth and all peoples,
the princes and all the judges of the earth,
Young men too, and maidens,
old men and boys,
Praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
His majesty is above earth and heaven,
and he has lifted up the horn of his people.
Be this his praise from all his faithful ones,
from the children of Israel, the people close to him.
Alleluia.

Psalm 149:1-6
Alleluia.
Sing to the Lord a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
Alleluia.

Psalm 150
Alleluia.
Praise the Lord in his sanctuary,
praise him in the firmament of his strength.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for his sovereign majesty.
Praise him with the blast of the trumpet,
praise him with lyre and harp.
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipe.
Praise him with sounding cymbals,
praise him with clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
praise the Lord!
Alleluia.
Psalm 117
Praise the Lord, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
For steadfast is his mercy toward us,
and the truth of the Lord endures for ever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever. Amen.
Alleluia.
[CANTICLE]
The “Canticle of the Three Children” (page 168) may
follow the Morning Psalms.

HOOSOYO
PROEMION
Praise, glory an honor to the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Praise by heaven and earth and its people,
he is the infant of Bethlehem and Son of the Virgin Mary,
the Good One, to whom is due glory and honor this morning,
and all the days of our lives,
now and for ever. Amen.
SEDRO
Son of God,
Word and image of the Father,
his only begotten and well-beloved Son,
you are the infant that neither mind can encompass,
nor the spirit comprehend, wisdom fathom, science know,
nor knowledge reveal.
No description can portray you, O Lord,
no name name you, no language explain you, no lips
pronounce you.
You are higher than the heavens, firmer that the earth and
deeper than the abyss.
Your light is more splendid that the light,
your sun is more brilliant than the sun
and your day more magnificent than the day.
You are the message and messenger,
the good news and the one who brought it,
the prophecy and he who prophesied.
Jacob described you as a lion cub;
Job called you Savior and Isaiah said to you:
“a child is born to us, a son is given to us, upon his
shoulders dominion rests.
They call him: Wonder-Counsellor, mighty God, eternal Father,
Prince of Peace.”
Jeremiah compared you to ray of light,
Micah to the light, and Daniel to a precious Jewel.
You were enveloped by clouds of light, descended into a cave
where no light entered,
and were wrapped in swaddling clothes,
You whom the throne of the cherubim is not able to contain.

Today with angels, we surround your crib and sing:
“Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth and good will
to men,”
With the magi we offer you presents and with the shepherds
give you gifts.
Lord God, Son of the Father and first born of the Virgin,
we ask you to receive our incense (our prayers).
Grant us by your birth the joy and gladness of your vision,
make us children of justice and spiritual holiness adorned with divine virtues.
Freed from the womb of the earth on the day of the resurrection, we will be new born infants, children and heirs.
Then we will enter your kingdom and give you glory an praise,
for ever. Amen.
QOLO
On the day of your birth, Lord, grant holiness to your Church
and salvation to he children, so that they may sing glory to you.
Holy are you, O God, by your birth you saved us from going
astray.
Holy are you, O Strong One, you strengthened your flock and
gave them victory.
Holy are you, O Immortal One, by your life giving birth you
bestowed life on Adam’s children whom sin had condemned to
death.
You who were born in Bethlehem of the daughter of David, have
mercy on us.
ETRO
Glory to you, Son of God,
you became the Son of the Virgin and your delightful fragrance was poured out on the whole world.
Accept our incense and our prayers
that we may rejoice at your birth with our ancestors
who rejoiced at your coming,
and glorify you, your Father and Holy Spirit,
for ever. Amen.

READINGS
MAZMOORO
Today an infant is born to us whose name is “Wonderful”;
he is the Son of God, an infant born in a cave.
From the mountain tops is proclaimed: his name is “Wonderful”, may praise rise to the eternal Son who was born in time.
Here a star has shone on Jacob; a leader has arisen in Israel, the prophets and Scriptures are revealed and fulfilled.
SCRIPTURE READINGS
A Reading from the Prophet Micah
Micah 5: 1-4
But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah too small to be among the clans of Judah, From you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; Whose origin is from of old, from ancient times.
Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time when she who is to give birth has borne, And the rest of his brethren shall return to the children of Israel. He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock by the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD, his God; And they shall remain, for now his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth; he shall be peace. If Assyria invades our country and treads upon our land, We shall raise against it seven shepherds, eight men of royal rank;

A Reading from the First Letter of John
1 John 4: 1-10
Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh be longs to God, and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus does not belong to God. This is the spirit of the antichrist that, as you heard, is to come, but in fact is already in the world. You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
They belong to the world; accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world, and the world listens to them. We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us, while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us. This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit. Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

HOOTOMO
GREAT DOXOLOGY
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and joy-filled hope to all.
We praise you, we adore you, we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord and Creator, King of heaven, God the Father almighty,
Lord God, only Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son and Word of the Father,
you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us;
you take away the sin of the world, hear us and receive
our prayer.
You are seated in glory at the right hand of your Father,
for give us and have mercy on us;
For you alone are holy,
you alone are the Lord, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.
At all times, and all the days of our lives, we worship
you and praise your holy and blessed name,
which is and has been from age to age.
Blessed are you, Lord almighty, God of our fathers.
May your name be glorified, praised and exalted for ever.
To you be glory, praise and exaltation, God of all,
Father of truth, with the only Son and the living and Holy Spirit, now and for ever.
Amen.
CONCLUDING PRAYER
O God,
you are before all ages and exist from age to age;
you are resplendent and glorified in unsearchable light;
through your word, you bring forth light and give us a new
day.
O radiant Day and source of light,
we glorify you, adore you and offer you praise night and day;
accept our praise and answer our prayer.
Send us your abundant blessings, through the mercy of your
Christ.
To him, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be glory, honor and power,
now and forever. Amen.