DECEMBER 23, 2023

I. THE INTRODUCTORY RITES

Entrance Procession
Announcement of Mass Sponsors/Intentions is made before the Entrance Procession, if
possible.

Sign of the Cross and Greeting

P. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
P. The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit

Introduction
P: Today’s Gospel describes the birth and the naming of John.
Relatives and neighbors assume that the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth
will be named after his father. Instead, in obedience to God’s will, the
child is given the name John, or “Yohanan,” which means “the Lord is
gracious.” As we come closer to celebrating the birth of the Saviour,
may we experience the Lord’s graciousness in our lives.
In this Misa de Gallo/Aguinaldo Mass, we will reflect on the
Stewardship theme of “Ano ang Balik Handog?”

Penitential Act
P. Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins, and
so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries. (Pause)

P. You were sent to heal the contrite of heart:

Lord, have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.

P. You came to call sinners:

 Christ have mercy.
All: Christ have mercy.

P. You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us:
Lord, Have mercy.
All: Lord, have mercy.

P. May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us or sins, and bring
us to everlasting life.
A. Amen.

Gloria

Collect
P. Let us pray. (Pause)
Almighty and ever-lasting God,
as the nativity of your Son according to flesh draws near, grant our
humble prayer,
that we may know the mercy of the Word incarnate,
who took flesh of the Virgin Mary
and came to dwell among us.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for
ever and ever.
All: Amen.

II. THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

First Reading : Mal 3:1-4, 23-24

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Malachi.

Thus says the Lord God: Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the
way before me; and suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord
whom you seek, and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.
Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who will endure the day of
his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the
refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. He will sit refining and purifying the
sons of Levi, refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer
due sacrifice to the Lord. Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will
please the Lord, as in the days of old, as in years gone by.
Lo, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, before the day of the Lord comes,
the great and terrible day, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their
children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and
strike the land with doom.
The word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 25:4-5.8-9.10.14

Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.

1. Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths,

guide me in your path and teach me, for you are God my savior.
Response:
2. Good and upright is the Lord; thus he shows sinners the way. He
guides the humble to justice, he teaches the humble his way.
Response:
3. All the paths of the Lord are kindness and constancy toward those
who keep his covenant and his decrees. The friendship of the Lord
is with those who fear him, and his covenant, for their instruction.
Response:

Gospel: Lk 1:57-66
P. The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
P. A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
A. Glory to you, O Lord.

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to
a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his
great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her.
When they came on the eight day to circumcise the child, they were
going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply,
“No. He will be called John.” But they answered her, “There is no one
among your relatives who has this name.” So they made signs, asking
his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and
wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth
was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were
discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these
things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be? For
surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”
P. The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Homily
Stewardship: Ano ang Balik Handog
Sa mga araw na ito ng pagsisimbang gabi pinang-usapan natin ang
tungkol sa pagiging mabuting katiwala. Ito ay isang paraan upang tayo
ay maging alagad ni Kristo. Nagsimula tayo sa pagpapaalaala na ang
pagiging katiwala ay ang misyon nating mga tao na binigay ng Diyos na
Manlilikha. Ginawa ng Diyos ang tao upang maging kanyang katiwala
upang pangalagaan ang mga nilikha niya. Tinanong naman natin ano ba
ang ibig sabihin ng katiwala. Ang katiwala ay hindi ang may ari pero siya
ang namamahala sa ipinagkatiwala sa kanya. Pinangangalagaan niya ito
at mananagot siya sa may ari. Nabibigay siya ng bahagi ng may-ari sa
mga ipinamamahalaan niya.
Ano ang ipinagkatiwala sa atin? Ang lahat: ang ating buhay, ang
kalikasanan, ang pananampalataya, ang mga talents natin, ang ating ari-
arian at kayamanan, ang ating trabaho at posisyon sa lipunan at sa
simbahan. Ang lahat ng ito ay pananagutan natin sa Diyos. Upang
maging Mabuting Katiwala sikapin natin na isabuhay natin ang
Spirituality of Stewardship. Ang mga elemento ng spirituality na ito ay,
una, kilalanin natin ang mga biyaya ng Diyos sa ating buhay at maging
mapagpasalamat tayo. Napakabuti ng Diyos, pasalamatan natin siya
palagi. Ang ating pagsamba sa kanya ay Eukaristiya, na ang ibig sabihin
ay pasasalamat. Dahil sa nagkakaroon tayo ng kamalayan na mahal tayo
ng Diyos na nagbibigay ng biyaya, nagtitiwala tayo sa kanya. Hindi na
tayo natatakot o nalulungkot dahil may tiwala tayo sa Diyos na ating
sandigan. Pinupukaw ng pagmamahal ang pagmamahal. Ganoon tayo
kamahal ng Diyos na mamahalin din natin siya. Minamahal natin siya
kapag sinusunod natin ang kanyang utos at minamahal natin ang ating
kapwa. Kaya nagiging generous tayo sa pagtulong sa ating kapwa.

Sa konkretong paraan, paano natin na-e-express ang ating pagiging

mabuting katiwala? Hindi lang ito isang damdamin o isang paniniwala.
Ang paniniwalang ito ay isinasabuhay natin. Nabibigyan ng laman ang
ating pagiging mabuting katiwala sa ating pagbabalik-handog.
Ang balik handog ay tanda ng ating pagiging katiwala. Binibigay natin sa
Diyos na May-ari ang ilang bahagi ng mga ipinakatiwala niya sa atin.
Ang balik handog ay tanda ng pasasalamat. Kinikilala natin ang biyaya
niya kaya nagbibigay tayo sa kanya. Ang balik handog ay tanda ng
tiwala. Hindi tayo nag-aalangan na magbigay sa Diyos kasi hindi naman
niya tayo pababayaan. Ang balik handog ay tanda ng pag-ibig natin sa
Diyos. Minamahal natin ang Diyos kaya nagbibigay tayo sa kanya.
Tandaan po natin na ang balik handog ay handog sa Diyos. Sa Diyos na
May-ari tayo nagbibigay sa pagkilala na siya ang pinanggalingan ng
lahat ng kabutihan.
Ano ang binabalik handog natin? Ang ating panahon, ang ating talento
at ang ating kayamanan. Sa pagbabalik handog ng panahon naglalaan
tayo ng panahon natin upang mas lalong mapalapit tayo sa Diyos at
makilala natin siya. Tayo ay nagdarasal, tayo ay nagbabasa ng Bible,
tayo ay nagsisimba, tayo ay bumibisita sa simbahan. Huwag tayong
manghinayang sa paglaan ng panahon para sa Diyos. Hindi ito
nasasayang. Sa kanya naman nanggaling ang panahon natin, kaya
bigyan din natin siya ng panahon. Huwag nating sabihin na busy tayo.
Mas naaayos ang paggamit natin ng panahon, mas nagagawa natin ang
kailangang gawin kung nagbibigay tayo ng panahon sa Diyos.

Ang balik handog ng talents ay nagagawa natin sa ating pag-se-serve.

Nagibigay tayo ng serbisyon ayon sa kakayahan at kagalingan natin. Ang
iba ay naglilinis sa simbahan o sa kapaligiran ng community nila. Ang iba
nag-se-serve sa pagdalaw sa may sakit o sa bilangguan. Ang iba ay
nagiging leader sa simbahan o sa mga samahan na nakakatulong sa
kapwa. Ang serbisyo ng iba ay sa kanilang pagkakanta, o pagiging
tagabasa, o pagiging lay minister. Napakarami po gawain sa simbahan
at kakaunti lang ang manggagawa. Madalas pare-pareho na lang ang
mga tao na nag-se-serve. Magbalik handog tayo ng ating serbisyo.

Ang isang biyaya na kilalanin natin na galing sa Diyos ay ang ating

kayamanan, ang ating material resources. Mayaman man tayo o hindi,
may maibibigay din tayo. No one is so poor that he had nothing to give.
Ang tinitingnan ng Diyos ay hindi kung marami o kakaunti ang ating
binibigay. Ang tinitingnan ng Diyos ay ang ating generosity. Nagiging
mapagbigay tayo kasi mahal natin ang Diyos at may tiwala tayo na hindi
naman niya tayo pababayaan. Kinilala ni Jesus ang dalawang kusing na
ibinigay ng balong babae sa ebanghelyo, kahit na dalawang kusing lang
iyon kasi iyan ay galing sa kanyang generosity. Iyan lang ang pera niya
at binigay niya ang lahat.
Dahil sa tayo ay mabuting katiwala, nagbabalik handog tayo. Nagbibigay
tayo sa Diyos ng ating panahon, ng ating kagalingan at ng ating
kayamanan.

The CREDO is not said

Universal Prayer
P. Zechariah called his son “John,” meaning “God is gracious.”
Trusting in God’s graciousness and generosity, we pray: Lord, show us
your kindness.

1. That the Church and government leaders may show God’s

graciousness by their loving and preserving service to God’s
people, we pray:
2. That we may come to appreciate our Christian name and dignity
and live up to our baptismal promises, we pray:
3. That we may become a united and caring community where
sorrow is halved and joy is multiplied, we pray:
4. That families who gather together at Christmas and the New Year
may renew their love, solidarity, and support for one another, we
pray:
5. That as good stewards we may give back to God our time, talent
and treasures, we pray:
6. That our departed loved ones may be welcomed into God’s loving
arm, we pray:
7. In silence, let us pray for our personal intentions. (Pause) We
pray:

P. Loving Father, watch over your people. May we strive to please

you at all times. This we ask through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

III. THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

Presentation and Preparation of Gifts
P. Pray, brethren…
All: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and
glory of his name, four good and the good of all his holy Church.

Prayer over the Offerings.

P. Lord God,
let the sacrifice you have given
as the full expression of the Church’s worship
establish us firmly in your peace,
that we may celebrate with untroubled hearts
the coming birth of our savior,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
All: Amen.

Preface II of Advent
P. The Lord be with you.
All. And with your spirit.

P. Lift up your hearts.

All: We lift them up to the Lord.

P. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

All: It is truly right and just.

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,

always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.

For all the oracles of the prophets foretold him,

the Virgin Mother longed for him
with love beyond all telling,
John the Baptist sang of his coming
and proclaimed his presence when he came.

It is by his gift that already we rejoice

at the mystery of his Nativity,
so that he may find us watchful in prayer
and exultant in his praise.

And so, with Angels and Archangels,

with Thrones and Dominions,
and with all the host and powers of heaven,
we sing the hymn of your glory,
as without end we acclaim:

Sanctus

Eucharistic Prayer II

Prayer after Communion

P. Let us pray. (Pause)
Grant pardon and peace, O Lord,
to those you have fed with heavenly gifts,
so that, at the coming of your beloved Son,
we may hasten to greet him
with lamps alight in our hands.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

IV. THE CONCLUDING RITES

Brief announcement is made before the Final Blessing.

P. The Lord be with you.

A. And with your spirit.

Prayer over the People

P. Bow down for the blessing. (Pause)

P. Hasten to the aid of your faithful people who call upon you, O
Lord, we pray, and graciously give strength in their human weakness, so
that, being dedicated to you in complete sincerity, they may find
gladness in your remedies both now and in the life to come. Through
Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

P. And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son,+
and the Holy Spirit.
A. Amen.

Dismissal
P. The celebration of the Mass is ended. Go and share the good
things the Lord has done for you.

A. Thanks be to God.

Petrus Simanganensis