大象传媒

Radio 4 Opening Announcement:
大象传媒 Radio 4.听 It鈥檚 half past eleven and time to go live to Brentwood Cathedral in Essex for the First Mass of Christmas.听 The service is led by the Bishop of Brentwood, the Right Reverend Alan Williams, and the Preacher is the Dean, Fr Martin Boland. The service begins now with the carol 鈥極 come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant鈥�.

Hymn: O come, all ye faithful

Bishop:听In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
础濒濒:听础尘别苍

Bishop:听The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All:听And with your spirit.

Bishop: Welcome

Good evening and welcome to a packed Brentwood Cathedral, where our community are gathered together in praising the God of mercy for the Christmas gift of his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

It is my prayer that this celebration will raise your hearts and minds to God and that God will bring many blessings to you, your families and those you love this Christmas.听

My brothers and sisters, on this holy night, we celebrate the revelation of God鈥檚 grace to the whole of humanity. Let us pause for a few moments calling to mind those darker areas of our lives which need to be illuminated by the Grace of God and healed.

Choir: Kyrie Eleison (Missa ad Praesepe) 鈥� George Malcolm

Bishop:听May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.听
础濒濒:听础尘别苍.

Choir/Congregation: Lourdes Gloria

Collect: Bishop: O God, who have made this most sacred night radiant with the splendour of the true light,grant, we pray, that we, who have known the mysteries of his light on earth, may also delight in his gladness in heaven.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever.
All:听 Amen

LITURGY OF THE WORD
All sit

First reading: A reading from the prophet Isaiah (Is 9:1-7)听听听
The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone. You have made their gladness greater, you have made their joy increase; they rejoice in your presence as men rejoice at harvest time, as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils.听 For the yoke that was weighing on him, the bar across his shoulders, the rod of his oppressor, these you break as on the day of Midian. For all the footgear of battle, every cloak rolled in blood, is burnt, and consumed by fire. For there is a child born for us, a son given to us and dominion is laid on his shoulders; and this is the name they give him:听 Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God, Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace.听听Wide is his dominion in a peace that has no end, for the throne of David and for his royal power, which he establishes and makes secure in justice and integrity.听听From this time onwards and for ever, the jealous love of the Lord of Hosts will do this.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

Reader:听The word of the Lord.
All:听Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm 95 鈥� Sung

Verse 1 (choir)
Response (All): Today a Saviour has been born to us; He is Christ the Lord

Verse 2听 (choir)
Response (All): Today a Saviour has been born to us; He is Christ the Lord

Verse 3 (choir)
Response (All): Today a Saviour has been born to us; He is Christ the Lord

Verse 4 (choir)
Response (All): Today a Saviour has been born to us; He is Christ the Lord

Second reading: A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to Titus (Ti 2:11-14)听听
God鈥檚 grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; we must be self-restrained and live good and religious lives here in this present world, while we are waiting in hope for the blessing which will come with the appearing of the glory of our great God and saviour Christ Jesus. He sacrificed himself for us in order to set us free from all wickedness and to purify a people so that it could be his very own and would have no ambition except to do good.

Reader:听The word of the Lord.
All:听Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation 鈥� Colin Mawby (Choir and Congregation)

Deacon: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.

Deacon: A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke (Lk 2: 1-14)
All: Glory to you, O Lord.

Caesar Augustus issued a decree for a census of the whole world to be taken. This census 鈥� the first 鈥� took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to his own town to be registered. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and travelled up to Judaea, to the town of David called Bethlehem, since he was of David鈥檚 House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manager because there was no room for them at the inn. In the countryside close by there were shepherds who lived in the fields and took it in turns to watch their flocks during the night.听听The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, 鈥淒o not be afraid. Listen, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a saviour has been born to you:听 he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.鈥� And suddenly with the angel there was a great throng of the heavenly host, praising God and singing:鈥淕lory to God in the highest heaven, and peace to men who enjoy his favour鈥�.听

Deacon: The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
听
Homily (Fr Martin): Sacred sites, calls to prayer, checkpoints, Banksy graffiti, impenetrable walls, the majesty of arid landscapes baked under a fierce sun - they jostled for my attention during my first pilgrimage to the Holy Land in October. But it was in the Basilica of the Annunciation at Nazareth that something at the very periphery of my vision attracted me and helped me to experience the ordinariness of life anew.
The Basilica houses the spot where the Angel Gabriel came to Mary and said, "Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God鈥檚 favour. You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus.鈥� I find it almost impossible to read the Annunciation account without involuntarily calling to mind the artistic recreations of this scene that you find in so many Medieval and Renaissance paintings: Gabriel, holds a lily in his hand and, stealthily, approaches Mary. She is usually found seated or kneeling in a garden, and often shown reading a book. Depending on the artist, her face betrays confusion or serenity. While Golden rays fall on her, the Holy Spirit hovers above her as a dove, as she conceives our Saviour.
Yet, all my familiarity both with the scriptures and artistic iconography, did not prepare me for what I now saw with my own eyes. Visible, through an ornate ironwork grille, was a primitive stone room, imagine a hobbit hole with a domed roof and, at the rear, a set of miniature stairs carved out of the local rock. Placed in the centre of this apparenly unremarkable space was an altar decorated with the words: Verbum Caro Hic Factum Est. I read the words a couple of times. Here, The Word was made flesh.
It was the atomic force of the word Hic, Here, that struck me with such force that I found myself falling to my knees as my eyes welled with emotion. Hic claimed this spot as the location where the course of human history was forever changed, where eternity penetrated our time and, what Pope Francis has called, 鈥渢he revolution of tenderness鈥� was conceived.
Here, God came to us in a way that was definitive and unsurpassable. Unlike the gods of the ancient world, He did not observe the tragicomedy of our existences with a dispassionate eye, but, rather, God emptied himself into the limits of human history and we, the human species, were transformed into His sacred family.听
Here, in this humble dwelling, God, the eternal One, did not disdain the Virgin鈥檚 womb, but made Mary part of His grand design. And God, the eternal Word, waited for Mary鈥檚 response 鈥� her 鈥測es鈥�, a full acceptance of her role given in freedom.听听
"Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." And in the holy silence and darkness of her womb, a pin prick of divine light appeared in the form of a single human cell that began to divide, multiply and differentiate.
So it was on this silent night, holy night, life and love were born. Across the abyss of sin and death, a lifeline was thrown to humanity. Our Redeemer was born, Jesus Christ.
For human beings, night is more than just a measure of time. It conjures up within us all sorts of dark associations. Night is something ambiguous and potentially threatening. In the midnight hour, the spectres of our unconscious desires claw their way to the surface. There are dark nights of the soul, the sleepless nights of the insomniac, and we are to rage, rage against the dying of the light.
But the quality of this silent, holy night is a lullaby to our rage and fears. Tonight, we see what we are meant to be. Our lives have been consecrated for greatness. Our spiritual and emotional energies, wasted and exhausted by our ever frenetic activity, are restored and reinvigorated. On this night, the white noise that infects and disturbs our exterior and interior lives gives way to a concentrated and pure silence. The whole world stills in order to hear the breath of a sleeping baby, the footfall of a shepherd, the song of angels. This silence sifts our beings and the gifts of prayer and grace unwrap us before God.听听听
Every night is a beginning, a nocturnal prelude which brings us to something more focused and defined: the light of a new day. In this sense, the night is pregnant with promises and possibilities and, no more so, than on this holy night. For us, the birth of Christ is a beginning for humanity. Without this birth, we would always have been in the dark about God. Now we have been able to see, to touch and to hear Him for ourselves.
We can because God made our beginning his own. He sanctified the nucleic double helix of our beings so that our humanity became intimately bound to His glorious divinity. He showed us that in spite of our sin, in spite of all that is grotesque and disfigured within us, we are still worth loving and not loving from some throne in a heaven far, far away, but worth loving here in our beings from the inside, out.
On this holy night, the concrete walls that separate man from God are demolished, the religious checkpoints manned by ideologues and pedants, who only allow the righteous few to enter into God鈥檚 presence are abandoned and the holy door between heaven and earth is thrown open. Forbidding borders become thresholds of welcome and deadly journeys turn into a great pilgrimage of hope. All those who are spiritual refugees and exiles, who search for God with a sincere heart, are not only given asylum, but are invited to become citizens of His Kingdom.
God who is, in the words of Henry Vaughn, a deep, but dazzling darkness blazes anew in the darkness of this Holy Night
Tonight, we can see in the dark - a thermal vision that allows us to seek out that bundle of newborn human flesh that wants to be cradled in our arms and pressed to our hearts.
On this night, the pollution of earthly lights dissolve, and we are left with a perfect view of heavenly things. We see the glory of God and before Him we become gossamer thin, translucent to his Divine beauty. And in this light, we see that we no longer have to escape from ourselves, but that what we have to do is to be still before this Mystery. Of course, there is a time to probe and to attempt to clarify the Mystery. But that time is not tonight 鈥� tonight is when we simply celebrate that God has accepted us, accepted us with all our vanities and failings. He is on our side. His remoteness is at the same time his unfathomable presence, or, put more simply, in Jesus, God wants to celebrate this night with us.
And this celebration takes place within us, in our hearts. The rest is sentiment. Only with truly Christmas hearts can the revolution of tenderness begin. It鈥檚 easy to brandish the slogan 鈥淧ut Christ into Christmas鈥�, but if our lives are to be more than the peddling of hackneyed slogans and defensive rhetoric, then we must risk opening our hearts to the grace offered to us this night. We must become God鈥檚 tenderness to humanity.
In a world that can feel so cold, harsh and violent, we are to be bearers of Christ鈥檚 gentleness, mercy and peace. These are the only gifts worth giving, the only gifts that heal all that is distorted and crippled in humanity, and offers us hope.
And if we can dare to live the truth of this holy night, then there is no need for fortress mentalities We can take off our protective armour and stand before the world defenceless, vulnerable, childlike and fully alive. And if we can achieve only that tonight then something has been born in us and we step towards the promise of a new day. A day of goodwill and peace to all men and women.

Verbum Caro Hic Factum Est

Hic
Here
The revolution of tenderness
takes flesh
and, yes, we do hear angels sing
on this silent night, holy night.

Hymn (Choir/Congregation)

Congregational Carol: Silent Night

Profession of Faith

Archbishop: We stand and proclaim the symbol of our faith. The words are few, but the mysteries they contain are great. May we, the whole Church and all who are listening, receive them with a sincere heart and be faithful to them.
听
On this holy night, we kneel at the words which profess our faith in the Incarnation.

Sung Creed
(Credo III 鈥� plainsong)

Prayers of the Faithful (Bidding prayers)

Bishop: On this night, when the mercy and kindness of God our Saviour have appeared, let us, dear brothers and sisters, humbly pour forth to him our prayers, trusting not in our own good works, but in his mercy.

Reader: For the Church of God -that the revolution of tenderness may inspire every word and action of the Church.听
Lord, hear us. 听
All: Lord, graciously hear us.

Reader - at the lectern
For all those who serve in public office:听
that the Incarnation will guide them in the ways of wisdom and give them the courage to strive for the common good.
Lord, hear us. 听
All: Lord, graciously hear us.

Reader: For peace throughout the world, particularly in the Holy Land and in Syria:
that the peace proclaimed by the angels to the shepherds will come to rest on all peoples on earth and inspire all those who work for peace.
Lord, hear us. 听
All: Lord, graciously hear us.

Reader: For those oppressed by hunger, sickness, addiction or loneliness:
That through the mystery of the Nativity of Christ they may find relief in both mind and body.听
Lord, hear us. 听
All: Lord, graciously hear us.

Reader: For the forgotten and the neglected:
that they will experience the tenderness and compassion of God on this Christmas Day.
Lord, hear us. 听
All: Lord, graciously hear us.

Reader: For this community, for those joining this act of worship by radio and for the whole human family that, receiving Christ, they may learn also to welcome him in the poor, the prisoner and refugee.听
Lord, hear us. 听
All: Lord, graciously hear us.

Reader: Mary treasured and pondered in her heart all that was said about the Lord.听 Let us pray with her as we say together...

All:听 Hail Mary, full of grace.
Our Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Bishop: We pray, O Lord our God, that the Virgin Mary, who merited to bear God and man in her chaste womb, may commend the prayers of your faithful in your sight. Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen

Choir Motet: O Magnum mysterium - Lauridsen

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

Bishop: Our service now moves on from the reading of the word of God, preaching about it and praying through it, to the receiving of the bread and wine as a reminder of his death 鈥� until He comes again. As these gifts are brought to the altar and are offered to God, we sing the Christmas carol:听 On Christmas Night, all Christians Sing.

The altar is prepared, the offertory gifts are brought to the Archbishop, and he offers them. The altar, the celebrants and people are incensed.

Bishop: Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.

All听May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise the glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.

Prayer over the gifts听

Bishop: May the oblation of this day鈥檚 feast be pleasing to you, O Lord, we pray, that through this most holy exchange we may be found in the likeness of Christ, in whom our nature is united to you.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.听
All: Amen

Bishop:听The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.

Bishop: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.

Bishop: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right and just.

Bishop: 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.

For in the mystery of the Word made flesh
a new light of your glory has shone upon the eyes of our mind,
so that, as we recognize in him God made visible,
we may be caught up through him
in love of things invisible.

And so, with Angels and Archangels,
with Thrones and Dominions,
and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven,
we sing the hymn of your glory,
as without end we acclaim.

Choir Sanctus (Mass VIII 鈥� Plainsong)

Bishop: You are indeed holy, O Lord,
and all you have created
rightly gives you praise,
for through your Son our Lord Jesus Christ,
by the power and working of the Holy Spirit,
you give life to all things and make them holy,
and you never cease to gather a people to yourself,
so that from the rising of the sun to its setting
a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name.

All concelebrants: Therefore, O Lord, we humbly implore you:
by the same Spirit graciously make holy
these gifts we have brought to you for consecration,
that they may become the Body and blood
of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ,
at whose command we celebrate these mysteries.

For on the night he was betrayed
he himself took bread,
and giving you thanks, he said the blessing,
broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying:

TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT,
FOR THIS IS MY BODY,
WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.

Bishop: In a similar way, when supper was ended,
he took the chalice,
and giving you thanks, he said the blessing,
and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying:

TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT,
FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD,
THE BLOOD OF THE NEW COVENANT AND ETERNAL COVENANT,
WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY
FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.

Bishop: The mystery of faith.

All sing: When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.

All concelebrants: Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial
of the saving Passion of your Son,
his wondrous Resurrection
and Ascension into heaven,
and as we look forward to his second coming,
we offer you in thanksgiving
this holy and living sacrifice.

Look, we pray, upon the oblation of your Church
and, recognizing the sacrificial Victim by whose death
you willed to reconcile us to yourself, grant that we, who are nourished by the Body and Blood of your son and filled with his Holy Spirit, may become one body, one spirit in Christ.

Concelebrant 1: May he make of us an eternal offering to you,
so that we may obtain an inheritance with your elect,
especially with the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
with blessed Joseph, her spouse, with your blessed Apostles and glorious Martyrs, with Saint Chad and with all the saints, on whose constant intercession in your presence we rely for unfailing help.

Concelebrant 1: May this Sacrifice of our reconciliation, we pray, O Lord, advance the peace and salvation of all the world. Be pleased to confirm in faith and charity your pilgrim Church on earth,
with your servant Francis our Pope and Alan our Bishop, the order of Bishops, all the clergy, and the entire people you have gained for your own.

Celebrant 1: Listen graciously to the prayers of this family, whom you have summoned before you: in your compassion, O Merciful Father,
gather to yourself all your children scattered throughout the
world.

Celebrant 1:To our departed brothers and sisters and to all who were pleasing听听 to you at their passing from this life, give kind admittance to your kingdom. There we hope to enjoy for ever the fullness of your glory through Christ our Lord, through whom you bestow on the world all that is good.

Bishop: Through him, and with him, and in him,
Concelebrants: O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is yours, for ever and ever.
All: Amen

Communion Rite

Bishop: At the Saviour鈥檚 command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say

Our Father
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Bishop: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
All: For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and for ever.

Bishop: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles:听 Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign for ever and ever.
All: Amen

Bishop: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
All: And with your spirit.

Deacon: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
听

Choir: Agnus Dei, Missa ad Praeasepe 鈥� George Malcolm

Bishop: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
听
All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

Communion music

Choir carol 1: Hodie Christus natus est 鈥� Stephen King

Choir carol 2: Quem pastores arr. Rutter

Congregational Carol: O little town of Bethlehem

Prayer after communion

Bishop: Grant us, we pray, O Lord our God,
that we, who are gladdened by participation
in the feast of our Redeemer鈥檚 Nativity,
may through an honourable way of life become worthy
of union with him.
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
All: Amen

Hymn: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

CONCLUDING RITE

Bishop: The Lord be with you.听
All: And with your spirit.

Deacon: Bow your heads and pray for God鈥檚 blessing.

Bishop: May the God of infinite goodness,
who by the incarnation of his Son has driven darkness
from the world
and by that glorious Birth has illumined this most holy night,
drive far from you the darkness of vice
and illumine your hearts with the light of virtue.听听
All: Amen

Bishop: May God, who willed that the great joy of his Son鈥檚 saving Birth be announced to shepherds by the Angel, fill your minds with the gladness he gives and make you heralds of his Gospel.
All: Amen

Bishop: And may God, who by the incarnation brought together the earthly and heavenly realm, fill you with the gift of his peace and favour and make you sharers with the Church in heaven.
All: Amen

Bishop: And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and remain with you for ever.听
All: Amen

Deacon: Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.听
All: Thanks be to God

Organ voluntary: Vierne 鈥� Finale from Symphony No. 1

Radio 4 Closing Announcement: The finale from Vierne鈥檚 first Symphony, brings to a close our service of Midnight Mass which came live from the Brentwood Cathedral in Essex.听 The Celebrant was the Bishop of Brentwood, the Right Reverend Alan Williams, and the Preacher was the Dean, Father Martin Boland.听 The Choir was directed by Andrew Wright and the organists were Stephen King and James Devor. The producer was Andrew Earis.