Liturgical Colour : White

Offertory

Psalm 91 : 13

Justus ut palma florebit : sicut cedrus, quae in Libano est, multiplicabitur.

English translation

The just man shall flourish like the palm tree, he shall grow up like the cedar of Lebanon.

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Tua, Domine, muneribus altaria cumulamus : illius nativitatem honore debito celebrantes, qui Salvatorem mundi et cecinit adfuturum et adesse monstravit, Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Filium Tuum : Qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

We heap Your altars with gifts, o Lord, celebrating with fitting honour the nativity of he who heralded the coming of the Saviour, and pointed Him out when He had come, our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Communion

Luke 1 : 76

Tu, puer Propheta Altissimi vocaberis : praeibis enim ante faciem Domini parare vias ejus.

English translation

You, child, shall be called the Prophet of the Highest, for you shall go before the face of the Lord, to prepare His ways.

Post-Communion Prayer

Sumat Ecclesia Tua, Deus, beati Joannis Baptistae generatione laetitiam : per quem suae regenerationis cognovit auctorem, Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, Filium Tuum : Qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

May the Church, o God, be joyful at the birth of the Blessed John the Baptist, through whom she knew the Author of her regeneration, our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

Liturgical Colour : White

Sequentia Sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam – Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke

Luke 1 : 57-68

Elisabeth impletum est tempus pariendi, et peperit filium. Et audierunt vicini et cognati ejus, quia magnificavit Dominus misericordiam suam cum illa, et congratulabantur ei. Et factum est in die octavo, venerunt circumcidere puerum, et vocabant eum nomine patris sui Zachariam.

Et respondens mater ejus, dixit : Nequaquam, sed vocabitur Joannes. Et dixerunt ad illam : Quia nemo est in cognatione tua, qui vocatur hoc nomine. Innuebant autem patri ejus, quem vellet vocari eum. Et postulans pugillarem, scripsit, dicens : Joannes est nomen ejus. Et mirati sunt universi.

Apertum est autem illico os ejus et lingua ejus, et loquebatur benedicens Deum. Et factus est timor super omnes vicinos eorum : et super omnia montana Judaeae divulgabantur omnia verba haec : et posuerunt omnes, qui audierant in corde suo, dicentes : Quis, putas, puer iste erit? Etenim manus Domini erat cum illo.

Et Zacharias, pater ejus, repletus est Spiritu Sancto, et prophetavit, dicens : Benedictus Dominus, Deus Israel, quia visitavit et fecit redemptionem plebis suae.

English translation

Elizabeth’s full time of being delivered was come, and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had showed His great mercy towards her, and they congratulated with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by his father’s name, Zachary.

And his mother answering, said, “Not so, but he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “There is none of your kindred that is called by that name.” And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying, “John is his name.” And they all wondered.

And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosened, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came upon all their neighbours, and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill country of Judea, and all those who had heard them, laid them up in their heart, saying, “What a person, do you think, shall this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because He had visited, and wrought the redemption of His people.”

Liturgical Colour : White

Jeremiah 1 : 5, 9 and Luke 1 : 76

Priusquam te formarem in utero, novi te : et antequam exires de ventre, sanctificavi te.

Response : Misit Dominus manum suam, et tetigit os meum, et dixit mihi.

Alleluja, Alleluja.

Response : Tu, puer, Propheta Altissimi vocaberis : praeibis ante Dominum parare vias ejus. Alleluja.

English translation

Before I formed you in the bowels of your mother, I knew you, and before you came forth out of the womb, I sanctified you.

Response : The Lord put forth His hand, and touched my mouth, and said to me.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Response : You, child, shall be called the Prophet of the Highest, you shall go before the Lord to prepare His ways. Alleluia.

Liturgical Colour : White

Lectio Isaiae Prophetae – Lesson from Isaiah the Prophet

Isaiah 49 : 1-3, 5, 6-7

Audite, insular, et attendite, populi, de longe : Dominus ab utero vocavit me, de ventre matris meae recordatus est nominis mei. Et posuit os meum quasi gladium acutum : in umbra manus Suae protexit me, et posuit me sicut sagittam electam : in pharetra Sua abscondit me.

Et dixit mihi : Servus Meus es tu, Israel, quia in te gloriabor. Et nunc dicit Dominus, formans me ex utero servum sibi : Ecce, dedi te in lucem gentium, ut sis salus mea usque ad extremum terrae. Reges videbunt, et consurgent principes, et adorabunt propter Dominum et sanctum Israel, qui elegit te.

English translation

Give ear, you islands, and harken, you people from afar. The Lord had called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother He had been mindful of my name. And He had made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of His hand He had protected me, and had made me as a chosen arrow, in His quiver He had hidden me.

And He said to me, “You are My servant Israel, for in you will I glory.” And now says the Lord who formed me from the womb to be His servant, “Behold I have given uou to be light of the gentiles, that you may be My salvation even to the farthest part of the earth. Kings shall see, and princes shall rise up, and adore for the Lord’s sake, and for the Holy One of Israel, Who had chosen you.”

Liturgical Colour : White

Introit

Isaiah 49 : 1, 2 and Psalm 91 : 2

De ventre matris meae vocavit me Dominus nomine meo : et posuit os meum ut gladium acutum : sub tegumento manus suae protexit me, et posuit me quasi sagittam electam.

Bonum est confiteri Domino : et psallere Nomini Tuo, Altissime.

Response : Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper : et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

The Lord had called me by my name from the womb of my mother, and He had made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of His hand He had protected me, and had made me as a chosen arrow.

It is good to give praise to the Lord, and to sing to Your Name, o Most High.

Response : Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Collect

Deus, qui praesentem diem honorabilem nobis in beati Joannis nativitate fecisti : da populis Tuis spiritualium gratiam gaudiorum; et omnium fidelium menfes dirige in viam salutis aeternae. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

O God, You Who had made this day honourable to us on account of the birth of blessed John, grant Your people the grace of spiritual joys, and direct the minds of all the faithful in the way of everlasting salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.