Mass at Midnight

For Mass at Midnight, the prophet Isaiah foretells the coming of the Messiah; he will sit upon the throne of David and upon him will rest dominion and authority. Paul tells Titus that in Christ the very grace of God has appeared in our world and through him, we have all been offered salvation. Luke recalls the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem, when the glory of God filled the very skies.

The Christmas story is known to all through word, song, and tradition. But it is more than an account of a baby born in difficult circumstances. Tonight, we celebrate the birth of Christ in time. He is a child, innocent and powerless, and yet he has within him the awesome capacity to reconcile and heal the whole of creation. In the darkness of this holy night, God's purest light appears, offering us his mercy and a share in his eternal life.