You shall be called "My Delight"

    

Readings for the

Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Vigil) 

It-Twelid   ta' Sidna Ġesu' Kristu (Quddiesa tal-Vġili)

Messalin A p 87

Reading 1                               ISAIAH 62:1-5

For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her victory like a burning torch. Nations shall behold your vindication, and all the kings your glory; you shall be called by a new name pronounced by the mouth of the LORD. You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD, a royal diadem held by your God. No more shall people call you “Forsaken,” or your land “Desolate,” but you shall be called “My Delight,” and your land “Espoused.” For the LORD delights in you and makes your land his spouse. As a young man marries a virgin, your Builder shall marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride so shall your God rejoice in you. This is the Word of The Lord.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni - Qari mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 62, 1-5

¹Minħabba f'Sijon ma nehdiex, minħabba f'Ġerusalemm ma niskotx, sa ma tfeġġ bħal dija l-ġustizzja tagħha, tħeġġeg bħal torċa s-salvazzjoni tagħha.  ²Il-ġustizzja tiegħek għad jarawha l-ġnus, u s-sebħ tiegħek jarawh is-salten kollha. B'isem ġdid għad isejħulek, isem li għad jagħżlu fomm il-Mulej. ³Għad tkun kuruna ta' ġmiel f'id il-Mulej, u dijadema ta' sultan f'id Alla tiegħek. ⁴Ma jgħidulekx aktar l-Abbandunata, lanqas lil artek l-Imħarbta. Lilek għad isejħulek Għaxqti fiha, u lil artek għad jgħidulha Għarusa; għax l-għaxqa tal-Mulej fik, u artek għad titgħarras. ⁵Bħalma l-għarus jitgħarras xebba, hekk jitgħarrsek il-Bennej tiegħek; u bħalma l-għarus jitgħaxxaq b'għarustu, hekk jitgħaxxaq bik Alla tiegħek. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm     -     PSALM 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29

R. (2a) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.                  R/

Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;
in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.
At your name they rejoice all the day,
and through your justice they are exalted.                      R/

He shall say of me, “You are my father,
my God, the rock, my savior.”
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
and my covenant with him stands firm.               R/

Salm Responsorjali                --          Salm 88 (89). 4-5. 16-17,27-29

R/. (2a)    It-tjieba tal-Mulej irrid dejjem ngħanni.

Int għedt Mulej:

⁴"Għamilt patt mal-magħżul tiegħi,

ħlift lil David, il-qaddej tiegħi:

⁵Jien nagħmel li nislek jibqa' għal dejjem,

li f'kull żmien jibqa' sħiħ it-tron tiegħek." R/.

¹⁶Ħieni l-poplu li jaf jgħajjat bil-ferħ,

li jimxi, Mulej, fid-dawl ta' wiċċek.

¹⁷B'ismek jithennew il-jum kollu,

u bil-ġustizzja tiegħek jifirħu.                              R/.

²⁷Hu jsejjaħli:  "Int missieri u Alla tiegħi,

fortizza u salvazzjoni tiegħi!"

²⁹It-tjieba tiegħi nżommha fuqu għal dejjem,

u l-patt tiegħi miegħu jibqa' sħiħ."                       R/.

Reading 2                               ACTS 13:16-17, 22-25

When Paul reached Antioch in Pisidia and entered the synagogue, he stood up, motioned with his hand, and said,  “Fellow Israelites and you others who are God-fearing, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors  and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt. With uplifted arm he led them out of it. Then he removed Saul and raised up David as king; of him he testified, ‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish.’ From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise,  has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. John heralded his coming by  proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel;  and as John was completing his course, he would say,  ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me;  I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’” This is the Word of The Lord.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni  -  Qari mill-Ktieb ta' l-Atti ta' l-Appostli 13, 16-17. 22-25

Meta ġie f'Antijokja ta' Pisidja, Pawlu qam fis-sinagoga, ¹⁶għamel sinjal b'idu u beda jitkellem:  "Nies ta' Iżrael u intom il-ġnus li tibżgħu minn Alla, isimgħuni.   ¹⁷Alla ta' dan il-poplu ta' Iżrael għażel lil missirijietna.  Meta l-poplu kien jgħix f'art barranija, fl-Eġittu, Alla għamlu poplu kbir u ħarġu minn hemm bil-qawwa ta' driegħu. ²²Meta mbagħad  neħħa lil Sawl, qiegħed bħala sultan  tagħhom lil David, li għalih  ta  din ix-xhieda: "Sibt lil David, bin Ġesse, raġel  skond  qalbi, li jagħmel dak kollu li rrid jien." ²³Min-nisel ta' David, Alla, skond il-wegħda tiegħu,  ġieb għal  Iżrael salvatur, li hu Ġesu'.  ²⁴Qabel il-miġja tiegħu,  Ġwanni ħareġ ixandar magħmudija ta' ndiema lill-poplu  kollu ta' Iżrael.  ²⁵U meta kien wasal fi tmiem il-ħidma tiegħu,  Ġwanni qal:  "Jien m'iniex dak li intom taħsbu li jien.   Imma, araw, warajja ġej wieħed li jien anqas jistħoqqli nħoll il-qorq ta' riġlejh."  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                     MT 1:1-25

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob,  Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon,Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon,  whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of  Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz,  Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile. After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud,  Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob,  Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.  Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Christ, fourteen generations.  Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together,  she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,  yet unwilling to expose her to shame,  decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,  “Joseph, son of David,  do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit  that this child has been conceived in her.She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,  because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,  which Means “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had  commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.

Evanġelju - Bidu ta' l-Evanġelju skond San Mattew1, 1-25

¹Ktieb in-nisel ta' Ġesu' Kristu, bin David, bin Abraham. ²Abraham nissel lil Iżakk, Iżakk nissel lil Ġakobb,  Ġakobb nissel lil Ġuda u  lil ħutu, ³Ġuda nissel lil Fares u li Żaraħ minn Tamar, Fares nissel lil Ħesron,  Ħesron nissel lil Aram, ⁴Aram nissel lil Ġħamminadab,    Għamminadab nissel lil Naħson, Naħson nissel lil Salmon, ⁵Salmon nissel lil Bogħaż minn Raħab, Bogħaż nissel lil Għobed minn Rut, Għobed  nissel lil Ġesse, ⁶Ġesse nissel lil David, is-sultan. David nissel lil Salamun mill-mara ta' Urija, ⁷Salamun nissel lil  Robogħam, Robogħam nissel lil Abija, Abija nissel lil Asa, ⁸Asa nisel lil Ġosafat, Ġosafat nissel lil Ġoram, Ġoram nissel lil Għużżija, ⁹Għużżija nissel lil Ġotam, Ġotam nissel lil Aħaż, Aħaż nissel lil Ħeżekija, ¹⁰Ħeżekija nissel lil Manassi,  Manassi nissel lil Amon, Amon nissel lil Ġosija, ¹¹Ġosija nissel lil Ġekonija u lil ħutu; kien  żmien l-eżilju f'Babilonja. Wara l-eżilju f'Babilonja, Ġekonija nissel lil Salatjel, Salatjel nissel lil Żorobabel,  ¹³Żorobabel nissel lil Abiħud, Abiħud nissel lil Eljakim, Eljakim nissel lil Ażor, ¹⁴Ażor nissel lil Sadok, Sadok nissel lil Akim, Akim nissel lil Eliħud, ¹⁵Eliħud nissel lil Elgħażar,  Elgħażar nissel lil Mattan, Mattan nissel lil Ġakobb, ¹⁶Ġakobb nissel lil Ġużppi, ir-raġel  ta' Marija,  li minnha twieled Ġesu' li jsejħulu l-Messija. Mela n-nisel kollu kien, minn Abraham sa David,  erbatax-il nisel, minn David sa l-eżilju ta' Babilonja, erbatax-il nisel; u mill-eżilju ta' Babilonja sal-Messeija, erbatax-il nisel. ¹⁸It-tnissil ta' Ġesu' l-Messija sar hekk:  ommu Marija, wara li tgħarrset ma' Ġużeppi, qabel ma marru joqogħdu flimkien, saret omm bil-ħidma ta' l-Ispirtu s-Santu.  ¹⁹Żewġha Ġużeppi li kien raġel ġust u ma riedx ixandarha quddiem kulħadd, għamel il-ħsieb li jibagħtha  bil-moħbi tan-nies.  ²⁰Meta kien għadu qiegħed jaħsibha, deherlu  anġlu tal-Mulej fil-ħolm u qallu:  "Ġużeppi, bin David,  xejn la tibża' tieħu għandek lil martek Marija, għax dak li tnissel fiha ġej mill-Ispirtu s-Santu.  Hi se jkollha iben, u inti ssemmih Ġesu'.għax hu jsalva l-poplu tiegħu minn dnubiethom." ²² Dan kollu ġara biex iseħħ dak li kien qal il-Mulej permezz tal-profeta, meta qal:  ²³ "Ara, ix-xebba tnissel u jkollha iben, u  jsemmuh Għimmanu-El," li bi lsienna jfisser "Alla magħna." ²⁴ Ġużeppi, meta qam, għamel kif ordnalu l-anġlu tal-Mulej, u ħa lil martu għandu.   ²⁵ Imma baqa' ma għarafhiex sa ma kellha iben, u semmieh Ġesu'.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej