Today's Gospel December 25, 2020 with the words of Pope Francis
READING OF THE DAY
First Reading
From the book of the prophet Isaìa
Is 52,7-10
How beautiful they are in the mountains
the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
of the messenger of good news who announces salvation,
who says to Zion: "Your God reigns."
A voice! Your watchmen raise their voices,
together they rejoice,
for they see with their eyes
the return of the Lord to Zion.
Break out together in songs of joy,
ruins of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people,
he redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord has drawn out his holy arm
before all nations;
all ends of the earth will see
the salvation of our God.
Second reading
From the letter to the Jews
Heb 1,1-6
God, who many times and in various ways in ancient times had spoken to the fathers through the prophets, lately, in these days, has spoken to us through the Son, who made heir of all things and by whom he made even the world.
He is the irradiation of his glory and the imprint of his substance, and he supports everything with his powerful word. Having accomplished the purification of sins, he sat down at the right hand of the majesty in the heights of heaven, who became as superior to the angels as the name he inherited is more excellent than theirs.
In fact, to which of the angels did God ever say: "You are my son, today I have begotten you"? and again: "I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me"? But when he introduces the firstborn into the world, he says: "May all the angels of God worship him."
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to John
Jn 1,1-18
In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was, in the beginning, with God:
everything was done through him
and without him nothing has been made of what exists.
In him was life
and life was the light of men;
the light shines in the darkness
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man came sent from God:
his name was Giovanni.
He came as a witness
to bear witness to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but he had to bear witness to the light.
True light came into the world,
the one that enlightens every man.
It was in the world
and the world was made through him;
yet the world did not recognize him.
He came among his own,
and his own did not accept him.
But to those who welcomed him
gave power to become children of God:
to those who believe in his name,
which, not from blood
nor by the will of flesh
nor by the will of man,
but from God they were generated.
And the Word became flesh
and came to dwell among us;
and we beheld his glory,
glory as of the only begotten Son
which comes from the Father,
full of grace and truth.
John testifies to him and proclaims:
"It was of him that I said:
The one who comes after me
is ahead of me,
because it was before me ».
From its fullness
we all received:
grace upon grace.
Because the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
God, no one has ever seen him:
the only begotten Son, who is God
and is in the bosom of the Father,
it is he who revealed it.
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
The shepherds of Bethlehem tell us how to go to meet the Lord. They watch in the night: they do not sleep. They remain alert, awake in the dark; and God "covered them with light" (Lk 2,9: 2,15). It also applies to us. "Let us therefore go as far as Bethlehem" (Lk 21,17:24): so the shepherds said and did. We too, Lord, want to come to Bethlehem. The road, even today, is uphill: the peak of selfishness must be overcome, we must not slip into the ravines of worldliness and consumerism. I want to get to Bethlehem, Lord, because that's where you are waiting for me. And to realize that You, placed in a manger, are the bread of my life. I need the tender fragrance of your love to be, in turn, broken bread for the world. Lord, take me on your shoulders, good Shepherd: beloved of you, I too will be able to love and take my brothers by the hand. Then it will be Christmas, when I will be able to say to you: "Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you" (cf. Jn 2018:XNUMX). (Holy Mass of the night on the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, XNUMX December XNUMX