First Reading

Reading from the prophecy of Micah

Micah 5, 1-4

This is what the Lord says:
«From you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
small among the villages of Judah,
from you will come the ruler of Israel,
whose origins go back to times past,
to the most ancient days.

Therefore, the Lord will abandon Israel,
until the one who is to give birth gives birth.
Then the rest of his brothers
will join the children of Israel.
He will rise to shepherd his people
with the strength and majesty of the Lord, his God.
They will dwell in peace,
because the greatness of the one to be born will fill the earth
and he himself will be the peace».

Gospel

Reading from the holy gospel according to Saint Matthew

Matthew 1, 18-23

Christ came into the world in the following way: While Mary, his mother, was betrothed to Joseph, and before they lived together, it happened that she, by the work of the Holy Spirit, was expecting a child. Joseph, her husband, who was a righteous man, not wanting to expose her, thought of leaving her secretly.

While he was thinking about these things, an angel of the Lord said to him in a dream: «Joseph, son of David, do not hesitate to receive Mary, your wife, into your home, because she has conceived by the work of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins».

All this happened so that what the Lord had said through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and give birth to a son, whom they will name Emmanuel, which means God-with-us.