[Rank]

In Circumcisione Domini;;Duplex II classis;;5.1;;ex Sancti/12-25

[Rank1960]
Die Octavae Nativitatis Domini;;Duplex I classis;;6;;ex Sancti/12-25
[RankNewcal]
Die Octavae Nativitatis Domini;;Duplex I classis;;6;;ex Sancti/12-25
[Rule]
ex Sancti/12-25;
Psalmi Dominica
Antiphonas Horas
9 lectiones
[Ant Vespera]
How wonderful is the dealing here! * The Maker of man hath taken to Himself a li
ving body, and hath been pleased to be born of the Virgin He is come forth conce
ived without seed, and hath made us partakers of His Divine nature;;109
When, in an unspeakable manner, * Thou wast born of a Virgin, the Scriptures wer
e fulfilled; to save man, Thou camest down as dew upon the fleece we praise thee
, O our God!;;112
Mother of God, when Moses * saw the bush unconsumed, we own that it was a figure
of the preservation of thy most wonderful virginity pray for us;;121
The Root of Jesse hath blossomed * the star is arisen out of Jacob, the Virgin h
ath given birth to the Saviour we praise thee, O our God!;;126
Behold, Mary hath borne * for us a Saviour; John beheld Him and cried, saying Be
hold, the Lamb of God, behold Him that taketh away the sins of the world. Allelu
ia;;147
[Capitulum Vespera]
!Titus 2:11-12
v. For the grace of God our Savior hath appeared to all men;Instructing us, that
,~
denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and justly, and
~
godly in this world,
$Deo gratias
[Versum 1]
V. The Word was made Flesh. Alleluia.
R. And dwelt among us. Alleluia.
[Ant 1]
God, for His great love * wherewith He loved us, sent His Own Son in the~
likeness of sinful flesh. Alleluia.
[Oratio]
O God, Who, by the fruitful virginity of the Blessed Mary, hast given unto~
mankind the rewards of everlasting life; grant, we beseech thee, that we may~
continually feel the might of her intercession, through whom we have worthily~
received the Author of our life, our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son,
$Qui tecum
[Ant Matutinum]
The Lord hath said unto Me: Thou art My Son, * this day have I begotten thee;;2
In the sun hath He set His tabernacle * and He is as a bridegroom coming out of
his chamber;;18
Be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, * and the King of glory shall come in;;23
V. The Lord is as a bridegroom.

R. Coming out of His chamber.

Thou art fairer than the children of men, * grace is poured into thy lips;;44
This man was born in her, * and the Highest Himself hath established her;;86
All the trees of the wood shall rejoice * before the Lord, for He cometh;;95
V. Thou art fairer than the children of men.
R. Grace is poured into thy lips.
In the beginning, and before the worlds, the Word was God, * and this day is He
born the Saviour of the world;;96
The Lord our Saviour, * begotten before the daystar, and before the worlds, hath
this day vouchsafed to be born;;97
When the Lord was born the Angels sang together, * saying Salvation to our God,
Which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb;;98
V. The Lord hath made known. Alleluia.
R. His salvation. Alleluia.
[Lectio1]
Lesson from the letter of St Paul the Apostle to the Romans
!Rom 4:1-8
1 WHAT shall we say then that Abraham hath found, who is our father according to
~
the flesh.
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not~
before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him~
unto justice.
4 Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but~
according to debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, yet believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly,
~
his faith is reputed to justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God.
6 As David also termeth the blessedness of a man, to whom God reputeth justice~
without works:
7 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin.
[Responsory1]
R. Behold the Lamb of God, behold Him Which taketh away the sins of the world;~
behold Him of Whom I said unto you He That cometh after me is preferred before~
me
* Whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
V. He that is of the earth speaketh of the earth; He That cometh from heaven is~
above all.
R. Whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
[Lectio2]
!Rom 4:9-12
9 This blessedness then, doth it remain in the circumcision only, or in the~
uncircumcision also? For we say that unto Abraham faith was reputed to justice.
10 How then was it reputed? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision?~
Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the justice of the faith,
~
which he had, being uncircumcised; that he might be the father of all them that~
believe, being uncircumcised, that unto them also it may be reputed to justice:
12 And might be the father of circumcision; not to them only, that are of the~
circumcision, but to them also that follow the steps of the faithful, that is in
~
the uncircumcision of our father Abraham.
[Responsory2]

R. This day which is breaking is holy O come, ye Gentiles, and worship the~
Lord.
* For this day is much light come down unto us from heaven.
V. This is the day which the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
R. For this day is much light come down unto us from heaven.
[Lectio3]
!Rom 4:13-17
13 For not through the law was the promise to Abraham, or to his seed, that he~
should be heir of the world; but through the justice of faith.
14 For if they who are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, the promise is~
made of no effect.
15 For the law worketh wrath. For where there is no law, neither is there~
transgression.
16 Therefore is it of faith, that according to grace the promise might be firm~
to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is
~
of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
17 As it is written: I have made thee a father of many nations, before God,~
whom he believed, who quickeneth the dead; and calleth those things that are not
,~
as those that are.
[Responsory3]
R. Blessed be He That cometh in the name of the Lord! God is the Lord Which hath
~
showed us light.
* Alleluia, Alleluia.
V. This is the day v/hich the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
R. Alleluia, Alleluia.
&Gloria
R. Alleluia, Alleluia.
[Lectio4]
From the Sermons of Pope St Leo (the Great.)
!7th for Christmas
Dearly beloved brethren, whosoever will keep truly and honour piously this day's
~
festival, it is necessary for him neither to think falsely of the Lord's~
Incarnation, nor meanly of the Lord's Godhead. For as there is danger, on the~
one hand, of denying the truth of Christ's participation of our nature, so is~
there no less danger, on the other, of doing despite to the equality of His~
glory with the glory of the Father. Wherefore, when we draw near to understand~
the mystery of Christ's Birth, wherein He was born of the Virgin Mary, we must~
leave the clouds of earthly imagination behind and pierce the fog of human~
wisdom with the eye of enlightened faith.
[Responsory4]
R. Rejoice with me, all ye that love the Lord.
* For while I was yet little I pleased the Most High, and from my womb have I~
brought forth God and man.
V. All generations shall call me blessed, for God hath regarded the lowliness of
~
His hand-maiden.
R. For while I was yet little I pleased the Most High, and from my womb have I~
brought forth God and man.
[Lectio5]
The authority on which we believe is the authority of God Himself; the teaching~
which we follow is the teaching of God Himself. Wherefore whether we lend the~

ear of our mind to the testimony of the Law, or to the revelations of the~
Prophets, or to the full pealing of the Gospel trumpet, that is true, which John
~
the Son of Thunder, uttered, when he was filled with the Holy Ghost, and said~
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.~
The Same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without
~
Him was not anything made. True also is his witness when he saith The Word was~
made Flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the~
Only-begotten of the Father. (John i. 1-3, 14.)
[Responsory5]
R. The heart of the Virgin was fixed, when the Angel declared unto her the~
mystery of God and she conceived then did she receive in her pure womb Him~
That is fairer than the children of men.
* And, she that is blessed for ever, brought forth for us God and man.
V. Soon rises, in that modest shrine, The Temple of the Lord Divine The~
stainless and unwedded one, Within her womb conceived the Son.
R. And, she that is blessed for ever, brought forth for us God and man.
[Lectio6]
The Person of the Son of God therefore remaineth unchanged and one, though He~
have two natures, keeping His own, and taking ours. He appeareth as man to be~
the restorer of men, but abideth all the while in His immutable Godhead. That~
Godhead which He shareth with the Father was not a whit the less Almighty, nor~
did the form of a servant touch the form of God to derogate from it. The Most~
High and Everlasting Being, bending down for man's salvation, took the Manhood~
into His glory; He ceased not to be That which He is from everlasting. Hence we~
see the Only-begotten Son of God in one place confessing that the Father is~
greater than He, (John xiv. 28,) and in another declaring that He and the Father
~
are One, (x. 30.) This is an evident proof of the distinction of His two natures
,~
and the unity of His Person; for He is inferior to the Father as touching His~
Manhood, and yet equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and yet, though He
~
be God and Man, He is not two, but One Christ.
[Responsory6]
R. Blessed and worshipful art thou, O Virgin Mary; from thee, still maiden~
undefiled, the Saviour came a little Child.
* He Whose glory filled the heavens lay in a manger.
V. O Lord, I have heard thy speech and was afraid; I considered thy works and~
trembled. O Thou That dwellest between the two living creatures!
R. He Whose glory filled the heavens lay in a manger.
&Gloria
R. He Whose glory filled the heavens lay in a manger.
[Lectio7]
From the Holy Gospel according to Luke
!Luke 2:21
In that time after eight days were accomplished, that the child should be~
circumcised, his name was called Jesus. And so on.
_
Homily by St Ambrose, Bishop (of Milan.)
!Book ii. on Luke ii.
So the Child is circumcised. This is the Child of Whom it is said Unto us a~
Child is born, unto us a Son is given, (Isa. ix. 6.) Made under the law to~
redeem them that were under the law. (Gal. iv. 4.) To present Him to the Lord,~
(22.) In my Commentary on Isaiah I have already explained what is meant by being

~
presented to the Lord in Jerusalem, and therefore I will not enter into the~
subject again. He that is circumcised in heart gaineth the protection of God,~
for the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous. (Ps. xxxiii. 16.) Ye will see~
that as all the ceremonies of the old law were types of realities in the new, so
~
the circumcision of the body signified the cleansing of the heart from the guilt
~
of sin.
[Responsory7]
R. O Mary, how holy and how spotless is thy virginity! I am too dull to praise~
thee
* For thou hast borne in thy breast Him Whom the heavens cannot contain.
V. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
R. For thou hast borne in thy breast Him Whom the heavens cannot contain.
[Lectio8]
But since the body and mind of man remain yet infected with a proneness' to sin,
~
the circumcision of the eighth day is also a type of that complete cleansing~
from sin which we shall have at the resurrection. This ceremony was also~
performed in obedience to the commandment of God: Every male that openeth the~
womb shall be called holy unto the Lord. These words were written with especial~
reference to the delivery of the Blessed Virgin. Truly He That opened her womb~
was holy, for He was altogether without spot, and we may gather that the law was
~
written specially for Him from the words of the Angel That Holy Thing Which~
shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.
[Responsory8]
R. The Virgin-Mother that knew not a man, bore, but travailed not.
* She fed the Saviour of the world, The King of Angel hosts above, Jesus, our~
Redeemer blest, From the fountain of her breast.
V. Soon rises in that modest shrine, The Temple of the Lord Divine; The~
stainless and unwedded one, Within her womb conceived the Son.
R. She fed the Saviour of the world, The King of Angel hosts above, Jesus, our~
Redeemer blest, From the fountain of her breast.
&Gloria
R. She fed the Saviour of the world, The King of Angel hosts above, Jesus, our~
Redeemer blest, From the fountain of her breast.
[Lectio9]
Among all that are born of women the Lord Jesus Christ stood alone in holiness.~
Fresh from His immaculate Birth, He felt no contagion from human corruption, and
~
His heavenly Majesty drove it away. If we are to follow the letter and say that~
every male that openeth the womb is holy, how shall we explain that so many have
~
been unrighteous? Was Ahab holy? Were the false prophets holy? Were they holy on
~
whom Elijah justly called down fire from heaven? But He to Whom the sacred~
commandment of the law of God is mystically directed is the Holy One of Israel;~
Who also alone hath opened the secret womb of His holy Virginbride the Church,~
filling her with a sinless fruitfulness to give birth to Christian souls.
&teDeum
[Ant Laudes]
How wonderful is the dealing here! * The Maker of man hath taken to Himself a li
ving body, and hath been pleased to be born of the Virgin He is come forth conce

ived without seed, and hath made us partakers of His Divine nature.
When, in an unspeakable manner, * Thou wast born of a Virgin, the Scriptures wer
e fulfilled; to save man, Thou earnest down as dew upon the fleece we praise the
e, O our God!
Mother of God, when Moses * saw the bush unconsumed, we own that it was a figure
of the preservation of thy most wonderful virginity pray for us.
The Root of Jesse hath blossomed * the star is arisen out of Jacob, the Virgin h
ath given birth to the Saviour we praise thee, O our God!
Behold, Mary hath borne * for us a Saviour; John beheld Him and cried, saying Be
hold, the Lamb of God, behold Him that taketh away the sins of the world. Allelu
ia.
[Capitulum Laudes]
!Titus 2:11-12
v. For the grace of God our Savior hath appeared to all men;Instructing us, that
,~
denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and justly, and
~
godly in this world,
$Deo gratias
[Versum 2]
V. The Word was made Flesh. Alleluia.
R. And dwelt among us. Alleluia.
[Ant 2]
This day is set forth a wonderful mystery, * a new thing hath been created in~
the earth God is made man. That which He was He remaineth, and that which He was
~
not He taketh, suffering therein neither confusion nor division.
[Lectio Prima]
!Heb 1:11-12
v. They shall perish, but thou shalt continue: and they shall all grow old as a~
garment. And as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but
~
thou art the selfsame, and thy years shall not fail.
[Capitulum Tertia]
!Titus 2:11-12
v. For the grace of God our Savior hath appeared to all men;Instructing us, that
,~
denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and justly, and
~
godly in this world,
$Deo gratias
[Capitulum Sexta]
!Heb 1:10
v. And Thou in the beginning, O Lord, didst found the earth: and the works of~
thy hands are the heavens.
$Deo gratias
[Capitulum Nona]
!Heb 1:11-12
v. They shall perish, but thou shalt continue: and they shall all grow old as a~
garment. And as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but
~
thou art the selfsame, and thy years shall not fail.
$Deo gratias

[Ant 3]
Herein is a great mystery * of heirship; the womb of her that knew not a man is~
become the temple of God in taking of her flesh He was not defiled all~
nations shall come and say, Glory be to thee, O Lord!
[Commemoratio]
@Sancti/12-26:Octava
@Sancti/12-27:Octava
@Sancti/12-28:Octava