Liturgical Colour : White

Epistle (Christmas Midnight Mass)

Lectio Epistolae Beati Pauli Apostoli ad Titum – Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to Titus

Titus 2 : 11-15

Carissime : Apparuit gratia Dei Salvatoris nostri omnibus hominibus, erudiens nos, ut, abnegantes impietatem et saecularia desideria, sobrie et juste et pie vivamus in hoc saeculo, exspectantes beatam spem et adventum gloriae magni Dei et Salvatoris nostri Jesu Christi : qui dedit semetipsum pro nobis : ut nos redimeret ab omni iniquitate, et mundaret sibi populum acceptabilem, sectatorem bonorum operum. Haec loquere et exhortare : in Christo Jesu, Domino nostro.

English translation

Dearly beloved, the grace of God our Saviour had appeared to all men, instructing us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and justly, and godly in this world, looking for the blessed hope and the coming of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. He Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse to Himself a people acceptable, a pursuer of good works. These things speak, and exhort, in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Epistle (Christmas Mass at Dawn)

Lectio Epistolae Beati Pauli Apostoli ad Titum – Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to Titus

Titus 3 : 4-7

Carissime : Apparuit benignitas et humanitas Salvatoris nostri Dei : non ex operibus justitiae, quae fecimus nos, sed secundum suam misericordiam salvos nos fecit per lavacrum regenerationis et renovationis Spiritus Sancti, quem effudit in nos abunde per Jesum Christum, Salvatorem nostrum : ut, justificati gratia ipsius, heredes simus secundum spem vitae aeternae : in Christo Jesu, Domino nostro.

English translation

Dearly beloved, the goodness and kindness of God our Saviour had appeared, not by the works of justice, which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the laver of regeneration, and renovation of the Holy Spirit, Whom He had poured forth upon us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that, being justified by His grace, we may be heirs according to hope of life everlasting in Christ Jesus, our Lord

Epistle (Christmas Daytime Mass)

Lectio Epistolae Beati Pauli Apostoli ad Hebraeos – Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews

Hebrews 1 : 1-12
Multifariam, multisque modis olim Deus loquens patribus in Prophetis : novissime diebus istis locutus est nobis in Filio, quem constituit heredem universorum, per quem fecit et saecula : qui cum sit splendor gloriae, et figura substantiae Ejus, portansque omnia verbo virtutis suae, purgationem peccatorum faciens, sedet ad dexteram majestatis in excelsis : tanto melior Angelis effectus, quanto differentius prae illis Nomen hereditavit.

Cui enim dixit aliquando Angelorum : Filius Meus es Tu, Ego hodie genui Te? Et rursum : Ego ero illi in patrem, et ipse erit mihi in filium? Et cum iterum introducit Primogenitum in orbem terrae, dicit : Et adorent eum omnes Angeli Dei. Et ad Angelos quidem dicit : Qui facit Angelos suos spiritus, et ministros suos flammam ignis.

Ad Filium autem : Thronus Tuus, Deus, in saeculum saeculi : virga aequitatis, virga regni Tui. Dilexisti justitiam et odisti iniquitatem : propterea unxit Te Deus, Deus tuus, oleo exsultationis prae participibus tuis. Et : Tu in principio, Domine, terram fundasti : et opera manuum Tuarum sunt caeli.

Ipsi peribunt, Tu autem permanebis; et omnes ut vestimentum veterascent : et velut amictum mutabis eos, et mutabuntur : Tu autem idem ipse es, et anni Tui non deficient.

English translation

God, Who diversely and in many ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all, in these days had spoken to us, by His Son, Whom He had appointed Heir of all things, by Whom He had also made the world. He Who being the brightness of His glory, and the figure of His substance, and upholding all things by the word of His power, making purgation of sins, sits on the right hand of the Majesty on high, being made so much better than the Angels, as He had inherited a more excellent Name than theirs.

For to which of the Angels had He said at any time, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You?” And again, “I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?” And again, when He brings in the first begotten into the world, He said, “And let all the Angels of God adore Him.” And to the Angels indeed He said, He Who made His Angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire.

But to the Son, “Your throne, o God, is forever and ever, a sceptre of justice is the sceptre of Your kingdom. You have loved justice, and hated iniquity, therefore God, Your God, had anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your fellows.” And, “You in the beginning, o Lord, had founded the earth. And the works of Your hands are the heavens.”

“They shall perish, but You shall continue, and they shall all grow old as a garment, and as a vesture shall You change them, and they shall be changed, and You are the self same, and Your years shall not fail.”