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Thursday, December 23, 2004 AD

The Nine Lessons

To accompany the Bidding Prayer (see above), here are the readings for the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols, including the traditional titles read at the start of each lesson. These lessons set out, as the Bidding Prayer puts it, "the tale of the loving purposes of God from the first days of our disobedience unto the glorious Redemption brought us by this Holy Child". Each lesson opens in a new window:
  1. Genesis 3:8-15. God announces in the Garden of Eden that the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head.

  2. Genesis 22:15-18. God promises to faithful Abraham that in his seed shall the nations of the earth be blessed.

  3. Isaiah 9:2,6-7. Christ's birth and kingdom are foretold by Isaiah.

  4. Isaiah 11:1-3a,4a,6-9. The peace that Christ will bring is foreshown.

    or Micah 5:2-4. The prophet Micah foretells the glory of little Bethlehem.

  5. St Luke 1:26-35,38. The angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary.

    or Isaiah 60:1-6,19. The prophet in exile foresees the coming of the glory of the Lord.

  6. St Matthew 1:18-23. St Matthew tells of the birth of Jesus.

    or St Luke 2:1,3-7. St Luke tells of the birth of Jesus.

  7. St Luke 2:8-16. The shepherds go to the manger.

  8. St Matthew 2:1-11. The wise men are led by the star to Jesus.

  9. St John 1:1-14. St John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.
Posted by John H : 4:29 pm | Permalink