Midnight Mass
Be amongst the first to see in Christmas, at Midnight Mass.
Meet on Zoom (Meeting ID: 850 453 964 | Passcode: 670510), YouTube or in church at 11.30pm on Christmas Eve to celebrate the Nativity with a service of lessons and carols.
Overview
The gospel of John, 1:1-14, does not have a nativity scene. There is no holy family trudging to Bethlehem, no star in the sky leading the wise men, no shepherds, no angels. His opening line echoes the opening line of Genesis: “in the beginning”. For John, the presence of Christ, brings the possibility for a recreation, a rebirth, a new beginning. Unlike Isaiah, 52:7-10, in our first reading, this new beginning is not “in plain sight”, something recognised and embraced by all, as the people “break forth into singing”. Instead, God’s messiah is unrecognised and unfeted: “the world did not know him … his own people did not accept him”. The birth that takes place in John’s gospel is not the birth of a nation or of a leader, it is our rebirth: we are the ones who are invited to be born again “not of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”.
FIRST READING
Isaiah 52:7-10
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
‘Your God reigns!’
Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices;
together they shout for joy.
When the Lord returns to Zion,
they will see it with their own eyes.
Burst into songs of joy together,
you ruins of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people,
he has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord will lay bare his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth will see
the salvation of our God.
GOSPEL
The Word became flesh
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
This year we are supporting Ace of Clubs, The Children’s Society and Ukrainian Refugees.
For other events this Christmas, see here.
