The 24th of December, 2020 is Thursday in the Fourth Week of Advent. The Holy Bible verses for the morning mass readings for this day came from the Liturgical Calendar Year 2021.
Reading 1: 2 SM 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16
The first reading from the Book of Samuel.
When the king lived in his house, and Yahweh had given him rest from all his enemies all around, the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but God’s ark dwells within curtains.”
Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for Yahweh is with you.”
That same night, Yahweh’s word came to Nathan, saying, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Yahweh says, “Should you build me a house for me to dwell in?”
“I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people, over Israel.
I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.
I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be moved no more. The children of wickedness will not afflict them any more, as at the first, and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover Yahweh tells you that Yahweh will make you a house.
When your days are fulfilled and you sleep with your fathers, I will set up your offspring after you, who will proceed out of your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
I will be his father, and he will be my son.
Your house and your kingdom will be made sure forever before you. Your throne will be established forever.”_’_”
Responsorial Psalm: PS 89:1-2, 3-4, 26 and 28
Response: I will sing of the loving kindness of Yahweh forever.
I will sing of the loving kindness of Yahweh forever. With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
I indeed declare, “Love stands firm forever. You established the heavens. Your faithfulness is in them.”
R: I will sing of the loving kindness of Yahweh forever.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David, my servant, ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build up your throne to all generations.’_”
R: I will sing of the loving kindness of Yahweh forever.
He will call to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation!’
I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more. My covenant will stand firm with him.
R: I will sing of the loving kindness of Yahweh forever.
Gospel of the Day: LK 1:67-79
From the gospel scripture according to Luke.
His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people; and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show mercy toward our fathers, to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to Abraham our father, to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the dawn from on high will visit us, to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
