INTROIT
Ps 8:3
Out of the mouths of babes and of sucklings, O God, You have fashioned praise because of Your foes.
Ps 8:2
O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is Your name over all the earth!
Glory Be to the Father…
Out of the mouths of babes and of sucklings, O God, You have fashioned praise because of Your foes.
COLLECT
O God, Whose praise the Innocents, Your martyrs, this day proclaimed, not by speaking, but by dying, put to death in us all the wickedness of sin, so that Your faith which our tongue professes may be proclaimed also by our life.
Through our Lord…
COMMEMORATION COLLECT
For Octave of Nativity
Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that the new birth, in the flesh, of Your only-begotten Son may deliver us whom the bondage of old keeps under the yoke of sin.
Through the same Christ our Lord…
EPISTLE
Lesson from the book of Revelation
Apoc 14:1-5
In those days, I saw the Lamb standing upon Mount Sion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like a voice of many waters, and like a voice of loud thunder; and the voice that I heard was as of harpers playing on their harps. And they were singing as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except those hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been purchased from the earth. These are they who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were purchased from among men, first-fruits unto God and unto the Lamb, and in their mouth there was found no lie; they are without blemish before the throne of God.
GRADUAL
Ps 123:7-8
We were rescued like a bird from the fowlers’ snare.
℣. Broken was the snare, and we were freed. Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. Alleluia, alleluia.
Ps 112:1
℣. Praise the Lord, you children, praise the name of the Lord. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
Continuation ☩ of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Matt 2:13-18
At that time, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph, saying, Arise, and take the Child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there until I tell you. For Herod will seek the Child to destroy Him. So he arose, and took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew into Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod; that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, Out of Egypt I called My Son. Then Herod, seeing that he had been tricked by the Magi, was exceedingly angry; and he sent and slew all the boys in Bethlehem and all its neighborhood who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had carefully ascertained from the Magi. Then was fulfilled what was spoken through Jeremias the prophet. A voice was heard in Rama, weeping and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be comforted, because they are no more.
OFFERTORY
Ps 123:7
We were rescued like a bird from the fowlers’ snare. Broken was the snare and we were freed.
SECRET
Let not the gracious prayer of Your saints fail us, O Lord, but may it make our offerings acceptable to You and obtain for us Your mercy.
Through our Lord…
COMMEMORATION SECRET
For Octave of Nativity
Make holy the sacrificial gifts we offer, O Lord, and by the new birth of Your only-begotten Son cleanse us from the stains of our sins.
Through the same Christ our Lord…
PREFACE
Nativity
It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God, for through the Mystery of the Word made flesh, the new light of Thy glory hath shone upon the eyes of our mind, so that while we acknowledge God in visible form, we may through Him be drawn to the love of things invisible. And therefore with Angels and Archangels, with Throne and Dominations, and with all the hosts of the heavenly army, we sing the hymn of Thy glory, evermore saying:
COMMUNION
Matt 2:18
A voice was heard in Rama, weeping and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be comforted, because they are no more.
POSTCOMMUNION
We have partaken, O Lord, of the dedicated gifts: may they , we beseech You, help us through the intercession of Your saints both for this life and life eternal.
Through our Lord…
COMMEMORATION POSTCOMMUNION
For Octave of Nativity
Grant, we beseech You, almighty God, that the Saviour of the world, born this day, Who is the author of our birth in godliness, may bestow on us immortal life.
Who livest and reignest with God the Father…