CHRISTMAS 2 YEAR C


FIRST READING (Alternative readings)

Either Jeremiah 31.7-14

A reading from the book of the prophet Jeremiah.

7 Thus says the LORD: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, 'Save, O LORD, your people, the remnant of Israel.'
8 See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labour, together; a great company, they shall return here.
9 With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back, I will let them walk by brooks of water in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
10 Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, 'He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.'
11 For the LORD has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
12 They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall become like a watered garden, and they shall never languish again.
13 Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
14 I will give the priests their fill of fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty, says the LORD.


PSALM (if Jeremiah 31.7-14 is read) Psalm 147.13-21

R R The Word became flesh and lived among us.
or
R R Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God.

13 Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion;
14 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you. R R
15 He has established peace on your borders; he satisfies you with the finest wheat.
16 He sends out his command to the earth, and his word runs very swiftly. R R
17 He gives snow like wool; he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.
18 He scatters his hail like bread crumbs; who can stand against his cold?
19 He sends forth his word and melts them; he blows with his wind and the waters flow. R R
20 He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and his judgements to Israel.
21 He has not done so to any other nation; to them he has not revealed his judgements. R R


Or


Ecclesiasticus 24.1-12

A reading from the book of Ecclesiasticus.

1 Wisdom praises herself, and tells of her glory in the midst of her people.
2 In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth, and in the presence of his hosts she tells of her glory:
3 'I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth like a mist.
4 I dwelt in the highest heavens, and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.
5 Alone I compassed the vault of heaven and traversed the depths of the abyss.
6 Over waves of the sea over all the earth, and over every people and nation I have held sway.
7 Among all these I sought a resting-place; in whose territory should I abide?
8 Then the Creator of all things gave me a command, and my Creator chose the place for my tent. He said, "Make your dwelling in Jacob, and in Israel receive your inheritance."
9 Before the ages, in the beginning, he created me, and for all the ages I shall not cease to be.
10 In the holy tent I ministered before him, and so I was established in Zion.
11 Thus in the beloved city he gave me a resting-place, and in Jerusalem was my domain.
12 I took root in an honoured people, in the portion of the Lord, his heritage.'


CANTICLE (if Ecclesiasticus 24.1-12 is read)

Wisdom of Solomon 10.15-21

R R The righteous sing hymns to your name.

15 Wisdom led the Israelites out of Egypt A holy people and blameless race wisdom delivered from a nation of oppressors.
16 She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord, and withstood dread kings with wonders and signs. R R
17 She gave to holy people the reward of their labours; she guided them along a marvellous way, and became a shelter to them by day, and a starry flame through the night.
18 She brought them over the Red Sea, and led them through deep waters;
19 but she drowned their enemies, and cast them up from the depths of the sea. R R
20 Therefore the righteous plundered the ungodly; they sang hymns, O Lord, to your holy name, and praised with one accord your defending hand;
21 for wisdom opened the mouths of those who were mute, and made the tongues of infants speak clearly. R R


SECOND READING Ephesians 1.3-14

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ
4 before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love.
5 God destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of God's will,
6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace
8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight
9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ,
10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of God who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will,
12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.
13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit;
14 this is the pledge of our inheritance towards redemption as God's own people to the praise of his glory.


GOSPEL (Long or short reading) John 1.(1-9), 10-18

Either (Long version)

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.
4 What has come into being in him was life and the life was the light of all people.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.
8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.
9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.
11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.
12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,
13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified to him and cried out, 'This was he of whom I said, "He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me."')
16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

Or (Short version)

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
10 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.
11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.
12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,
13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified to him and cried out, 'This was he of whom I said, "He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me."')
16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

Reuben Condie Reuben Condie