299 Catholic Christmas Verses for the Full Nativity Season

Christmas in the Catholic tradition is rich with scripture. The readings at Mass. The prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours. The collects and antiphons. The prophecies of Isaiah. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The Prologue of John. All of it points to the same truth. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

For a Catholic, Christmas is not just a day. It is a season. An octave. Forty days until the Presentation. The Church gives you time to meditate on the mystery. Not just one glance at the manger. Days and weeks of returning to the same verses. Each time, they go deeper. Each time, you see something new.

The number 299 carries meaning here. Two represents witness and partnership. Nine appears twice, standing for completeness and divine fullness. Together, 299 speaks to a complete witness of the complete mystery of the Incarnation. Everything the Church teaches about Christmas is rooted in these verses. The Virgin Birth. The divinity of Christ. The humanity of Christ. The fulfillment of prophecy. The salvation of the world.

This guide gives you 299 Catholic Christmas verses. You will find verses from the Old Testament that the Church reads during Advent. Verses from the Gospels that are proclaimed at the Christmas Vigil, Midnight Mass, Dawn Mass, and Day Mass. Verses from the Epistles that explain the meaning of the Incarnation. Verses from the Psalms that are sung in the Liturgy of the Hours. Each verse comes with a brief reflection and a prayer drawn from Catholic tradition.

Do not read all 299 at once. Use them throughout the Christmas season. Read the Gospel of Luke on Christmas Eve. Read the Prologue of John on Christmas Day. Read the prophecies of Isaiah during the octave. Let the Word of God be the center of your Christmas celebration.

Why Catholics Need Their Own Christmas Verses

Catholics read the Bible differently than some other Christians. Not less. Differently. The Church has a lectionary. A cycle of readings that covers the life of Christ over three years. Christmas has its own set of readings. Four different Masses. Each with its own Gospel. Each with its own Old Testament and Epistle. These are not random. They are chosen by the Church to unfold the mystery step by step.

Catholic Christmas verses also include the antiphons. The O Antiphons of the last days of Advent. The antiphons for the Christmas octave. These are ancient prayers. They are filled with scripture. They have been prayed by Catholics for over a thousand years. They connect you to the whole Church. Past, present, and future.

The Catholic tradition also emphasizes the role of Mary. The Theotokos. The God bearer. The verses about Mary at Christmas are not optional. They are central. The Church proclaims that Mary is the Mother of God. This is not about elevating Mary. It is about protecting the truth about Jesus. If Mary is not the Mother of God, then Jesus is not God. The verses prove it. Read them. Pray them. Believe them.

Finally, Catholic Christmas verses remind you that Christmas is not just a birthday party. It is a feast of salvation. The Word became flesh to save you. That is the point. The verses about the cross are already present in the manger. The shadow of the cross falls across the crib. Do not separate them.

How to Use These 299 Verses

Read the Gospel of the day during the Christmas season. The Church gives you a Gospel for each day of the octave. Read it. Meditate on it. Pray it. These verses are not just for Sunday. They are for every day.

Use the antiphons. The O Antiphons are prayed from December 17 to December 23. They are ancient. They are powerful. Each one addresses Christ by a title from scripture. O Wisdom. O Lord. O Root of Jesse. O Key of David. O Rising Dawn. O King of the Nations. O Emmanuel. Pray them. Let them prepare your heart.

Pray the Collects. The opening prayers of the Mass for Christmas are rich with scripture. They summarize the mystery. Pray them at home. Let them shape your understanding of what Christmas means.

Sing the Psalms. The Church sings Psalms at every Mass and in the Liturgy of the Hours. The Psalms prophesy Christmas. The Psalms celebrate Christmas. The Psalms thank God for Christmas. Sing them. Or read them. Let the poetry of the Psalms fill your heart.

Use the prayers in this guide. Each verse comes with a short prayer. Pray it. Let the scripture become conversation with God. That is what the Church has always done. Scripture is not just read. It is prayed.

299 Catholic Christmas Verses

Prophecies of Isaiah from Advent

1. Isaiah 7:14. The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. The Church reads this verse during Advent. It is the great prophecy of the Virgin Birth. Immanuel means God with us. Not God far away. God with us. Prayer: Immanuel, God with us, come to save us.

2. Isaiah 9:1 to 2. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. The Church reads this at Christmas. The darkness of sin. The darkness of death. Then the light. Jesus is that light. Prayer: Light of the world, shine in my darkness.

3. Isaiah 9:5 to 6. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. The Church sings this at Christmas Mass. A child born. A son given. Both matter. He is human and divine. Prayer: Child born for me, Son given for me, I worship you.

4. Isaiah 9:6. He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Four names. Four titles. Each reveals who Jesus is. He is not just a teacher. He is God. Prayer: Wonderful Counselor, guide me. Prince of Peace, rule my heart.

5. Isaiah 11:1. A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse. The royal line seemed dead. A stump. Dead wood. Then a shoot. Jesus came from a forgotten family. Prayer: Bring life from the dead places in my soul.

6. Isaiah 11:2. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him. The Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. Seven gifts of the Spirit. Jesus had them perfectly. He gives them to you. Prayer: Send your Spirit upon me this Christmas.

7. Isaiah 40:3. A voice of one calling in the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord. John the Baptist. The forerunner. Advent is preparation. Christmas is arrival. Prayer: Prepare my heart for your coming.

8. Isaiah 40:5. The glory of the Lord will be revealed. Revealed in a manger. Revealed on a cross. Revealed in the resurrection. Revealed in the Eucharist. Glory hidden. Glory seen. Prayer: Reveal your glory to me this Christmas.

9. Isaiah 52:7. How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news. The good news of salvation. The angels brought it to the shepherds. The Church brings it to the world. Prayer: Make me a bearer of good news.

10. Isaiah 52:9 to 10. The Lord has comforted his people. He has bared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God. Christmas is global. Jesus belongs to every nation. Prayer: Let all the ends of the earth see your salvation.

11. Isaiah 53:4 to 5. He took up our pain and bore our suffering. He was pierced for our transgressions. The shadow of the cross falls across the manger. The baby grew up to die. Do not celebrate one without the other. Prayer: Thank you for being pierced for me.

12. Isaiah 60:1. Arise, shine, for your light has come. The light has come. Not coming. Not on the way. Has come. Christmas is the arrival. Arise. Shine. Prayer: I arise and shine because your light has come.

13. Isaiah 60:3. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. The wise men fulfilled this prophecy. But it is still happening. Nations are still coming. Kings are still bowing. Prayer: Draw all nations to your light.

14. Isaiah 61:1. The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me. He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. Jesus read this verse in the synagogue. He said, today this is fulfilled. The manger began the fulfillment. Prayer: Anoint me to proclaim good news.

15. Isaiah 61:2. To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Christmas is the year of favor. The year of grace. The year of salvation. Receive it. Prayer: Let this Christmas be a year of your favor for me.

The Gospel of Matthew

16. Matthew 1:1. This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. The Church reads the genealogy at Christmas Vigil Mass. It connects Jesus to the history of salvation. He is not a stranger. He comes from a long line. Prayer: Thank you for coming as part of our human story.

17. Matthew 1:16. Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. Joseph is not the biological father. He is the legal father. Through him, Jesus inherits the throne of David. Prayer: Joseph, pray for us.

18. Matthew 1:18. This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph. Before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. A virgin birth. Impossible for man. Possible for God. Prayer: I believe in the Virgin Birth.

19. Matthew 1:19. Joseph was faithful to the law and did not want to expose her to public disgrace. He had the right to stone her. He chose mercy. He chose grace. The man who raised Jesus was a man of mercy. Prayer: Give me Joseph’s mercy.

20. Matthew 1:20. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife. Joseph was afraid. The angel addressed the fear. Faith overcame fear. He took her home. Prayer: Take away my fear so I can obey.

21. Matthew 1:21. She will give birth to a son. You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Jesus means Savior. He saves. Not He tries. He saves. From sins. That is the mission. Prayer: Jesus, save me from my sins.

22. Matthew 1:22 to 23. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said. The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means God with us. Fulfillment. Not accident. The plan of God unfolding. Immanuel. God with us. Prayer: Immanuel, God with me. Thank you.

23. Matthew 1:24. Joseph took Mary home as his wife. Obedience. Immediate. He did what the angel said. No delay. No debate. Prayer: Give me Joseph’s immediate obedience.

24. Matthew 1:25. He did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. Joseph protected Mary’s virginity. He named the baby Jesus. Savior. Prayer: Joseph, protector of the Holy Family, pray for my family.

25. Matthew 2:1. Magi from the east came to Jerusalem. Wise men. Scholars. Astronomers. Pagans. God drew them to the King. Christmas is for everyone. Not just Jews. For all nations. Prayer: Draw all people to your Son.

26. Matthew 2:2. Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. They came to worship. Not to investigate. To worship. That is your posture. Prayer: I come to worship you.

27. Matthew 2:9. The star they had seen went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. The star guided. It led to the exact place. God guides those who seek. Prayer: Guide me to where you are.

28. Matthew 2:10. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. Joy. Visible joy. The star made them happy. Jesus is the source of joy. Not duty. Not obligation. Joy. Prayer: Fill me with overjoy.

29. Matthew 2:11. They saw the child with his mother Mary. They bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures. They gave him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Worship first. Gifts second. The order matters. Bow before you give. Prayer: Let me worship before I give.

30. Matthew 2:12. They returned to their country by another route. They were warned in a dream. They obeyed. God directs. Wise people listen. The same star that brought them guided them home differently. Prayer: Lead me home by a different route.

31. Matthew 2:13. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. Get up. Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Danger was coming. God warned. Joseph obeyed. Christmas is not all joy. There is also danger. But God provides escape. Prayer: Warn me of danger. Help me obey.

32. Matthew 2:14 to 15. He got up. Took the child and his mother. Left for Egypt. Where he stayed until the death of Herod. Joseph was a refugee. The Holy Family were immigrants. The Church honors their flight. Prayer: Protect all refugees and immigrants this Christmas.

33. Matthew 2:16. Herod was furious. He gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem. Tragedy. The dark side of Christmas. The Holy Innocents. The Church remembers them on December 28. Evil does not stop because good arrives. But evil does not win. Prayer: Remember the Holy Innocents. Protect all children.

34. Matthew 2:19 to 21. An angel appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. Get up. Take the child and his mother and go to Israel. Safety had returned. God said go home. Joseph obeyed again. Angels speak. Joseph listens. Prayer: Help me listen to your direction.

35. Matthew 2:23. He went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene. Nazareth was despised. Can anything good come from there? Yes. Jesus. Prayer: Use the despised places in my life.

The Gospel of Luke

36. Luke 1:5 to 7. Zechariah and Elizabeth were both righteous. They had no child because Elizabeth was not able to conceive. They were very old. Righteous. Barren. Old. Impossible. God specializes in the impossible. The Church sees this as a prefiguring of the Virgin Birth. Prayer: Do the impossible in my life.

37. Luke 1:11 to 13. An angel appeared. Zechariah was terrified. The angel said, Do not be afraid. Your prayer has been heard. Zechariah had been praying for a child for decades. The answer came long after he stopped expecting it. God hears. He answers in his time. Prayer: Thank you for hearing my prayers even when the answer is slow.

38. Luke 1:14 to 17. Your son will be a joy and delight. He will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah. John the Baptist. The forerunner. Advent is preparation. The Church gives you four weeks to get ready. Prayer: Prepare my heart for Jesus.

39. Luke 1:19. I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God. I have been sent to speak to you. Gabriel. Stands in God’s presence. Sent to speak. God sends messengers. Listen. He may be speaking. Prayer: Speak to me. I am listening.

40. Luke 1:26 to 28. The angel Gabriel was sent to a virgin named Mary. The angel went to her and said, Greetings, you who are highly favored. A peasant girl. Unknown. Chosen by God. Christmas begins with a young woman’s yes. The Church calls her the New Eve. Her yes undid Eve’s no. Prayer: Give me Mary’s willingness to say yes.

41. Luke 1:29. Mary was greatly troubled at his words. Troubled. Not immediately joyful. An angel is unsettling. Mary’s honesty is refreshing. She did not pretend to have it all together. Prayer: Help me be honest about my fears.

42. Luke 1:30 to 31. Do not be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. Do not be afraid. The first words of the gospel to Mary. Fear is natural. God meets fear with presence. Prayer: Take away my fear.

43. Luke 1:32 to 33. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. His kingdom will never end. Greatness not in wealth or power. Greatness in humility. His kingdom is not of this world. It never ends. Prayer: Let me live in your never ending kingdom.

44. Luke 1:34. How will this be? Mary asked. I am a virgin. Mary’s question was not unbelief. It was curiosity. How? Not if. She believed it would happen. She wanted to know how. The Church honors her faith. Prayer: Give me faith that asks how, not if.

45. Luke 1:35. The Holy Spirit will come on you. The power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. The Holy Spirit. Divine intervention. The Virgin Birth is a work of the Trinity. Prayer: Holy Spirit, overshadow me.

46. Luke 1:36 to 37. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age. Nothing is impossible with God. Two impossible pregnancies. One old. One virgin. God specializes in the impossible. The Church proclaims this at every Mass. Prayer: Do the impossible in my life this Christmas.

47. Luke 1:38. I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled. Mary’s yes. Her fiat. Simple. Complete. No conditions. Servant posture. Your word. Be fulfilled. The Church calls her the Mother of God because of this yes. Prayer: Let me say yes to your word.

48. Luke 1:39 to 40. Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. Mary did not sit and wonder. She went. She visited. She served. Faith is active. Prayer: Make my faith active.

49. Luke 1:41. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb. John the Baptist recognized Jesus before either was born. The unborn can worship. The Church defends the unborn because of moments like this. Prayer: Protect the unborn at Christmas.

50. Luke 1:42 to 45. Blessed are you among women. Blessed is the child you will bear. Why am I so favored? The mother of my Lord comes to me. Elizabeth blessed Mary. She recognized the honor. The Church repeats these words in the Hail Mary. Prayer: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.

51. Luke 1:46 to 47. My soul glorifies the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God my Savior. Mary’s song. The Magnificat. The Church sings it every evening at Vespers. It is the prayer of the poor. The prayer of the humble. The prayer of Advent. Prayer: Let my soul glorify you.

52. Luke 1:48. From now on all generations will call me blessed. Mary predicted her own legacy. All generations. She was right. The Church calls her blessed. But she always points to Jesus. Prayer: Let me point to Jesus like Mary.

53. Luke 1:49. The Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is his name. Mary gave credit to God. Not to herself. The great things were his doing. Her response was praise. Prayer: I praise you for the great things you have done.

54. Luke 1:50. His mercy extends to those who fear him. Mercy. Not judgment. Not anger. Mercy. From generation to generation. Christmas is mercy arriving. Prayer: Extend your mercy to me.

55. Luke 1:51 to 53. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things. Mary’s song is a revolution. The proud are scattered. The humble are lifted. Christmas is for the poor. Prayer: Lift up the humble. Fill the hungry.

56. Luke 1:54 to 55. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful. The promise to Abraham. The covenant. God keeps his promises. Christmas is the fulfillment. Prayer: Thank you for keeping your promises.

57. Luke 1:57 to 60. Elizabeth gave birth to a son. Her neighbors said, He is to be called Zechariah after his father. But Elizabeth said, No. He is to be called John. Elizabeth knew the name. She had listened. Prayer: Help me hear the names you give.

58. Luke 1:63. Zechariah wrote, His name is John. His mouth was opened. He praised God. Nine months of silence. Then praise. The silence prepared him. Advent is a silent preparation. Prayer: Let my silence lead to praise.

59. Luke 1:64. His mouth was opened and his tongue set free. He began to praise God. Freedom came with obedience. He named the child as told. Then he could speak. Obedience unlocks praise. Prayer: Let my obedience unlock my praise.

60. Luke 1:68 to 69. Praise be to the Lord. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us. Zechariah’s song. The Benedictus. The Church sings it every morning at Lauds. Salvation is coming. The horn of salvation. Jesus. Prayer: Raise up salvation in my life.

61. Luke 1:76. You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High. You will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him. John’s mission. Preparation. Advent is preparation. Christmas is arrival. Prayer: Let me prepare the way for Jesus in someone’s heart.

62. Luke 1:78 to 79. The rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness. The rising sun. Jesus is the sunrise. Not a lamp. Not a candle. The sun. He does not flicker. He does not run out. He rises. Dawn is here. Prayer: Rise on me, rising sun.

63. Luke 2:1 to 3. Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken. The whole world had to register. A pagan emperor made a decree. It brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. God uses even unbelieving rulers for his purposes. Prayer: Use every circumstance to bring me where you want me.

64. Luke 2:4 to 5. Joseph went up from Galilee to Bethlehem to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. A long journey. Nine months pregnant. On a donkey. No luxury. The King of kings arrived in the humblest way. Prayer: Give me endurance for the hard journeys.

65. Luke 2:6 to 7. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. No room. The inn was full. The King was born in a stable. Wrapped in rags. Lying in a feed trough. Humility incarnate. Prayer: Make room for you in my heart.

66. Luke 2:8 to 9. There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them. Shepherds were outcasts. Dirty. Low status. God sent angels to them first. The gospel goes to the lowly. Prayer: Visit the lowly with your good news.

67. Luke 2:10 to 11. Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. Good news. Great joy. All people. A Savior. Born. Today. Not a distant hope. A present reality. Prayer: Let me receive the good news with great joy.

68. Luke 2:12. This will be a sign to you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. The sign was not a palace. Not a throne. A manger. An animal feeding trough. God’s sign is humility. Look for him in unexpected places. Prayer: Help me find you in humble places.

69. Luke 2:13 to 14. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. Suddenly. Glory. Peace. The angels could not contain themselves. Heaven broke into earth. The Church repeats this glory at every Mass. Prayer: Glory to God in the highest.

70. Luke 2:15. Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. The shepherds did not stay in the field. They went. They saw. Hearing about Jesus is not enough. You must go to him. Prayer: Lead me to where you are.

71. Luke 2:16. They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. Hurried. Not casual. Urgent. The shepherds ran. Do you run toward Jesus? Or do you walk slowly? Christmas is a time to hurry to the manger. Prayer: Give me urgency to find you.

72. Luke 2:17 to 18. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed. Seeing led to telling. The shepherds became the first evangelists. Their testimony amazed people. Your testimony can amaze too. Prayer: Let me spread the word about what I have seen.

73. Luke 2:19. Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Mary did not understand everything. She treasured. She pondered. She held the mystery. The Church calls her the Seat of Wisdom because she pondered the Word. Prayer: Teach me to treasure and ponder.

74. Luke 2:20. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen. They returned. Not stayed at the manger. They went back to their fields. But they were changed. Glorifying. Praising. The ordinary became holy. Prayer: Let me return to my ordinary life glorifying you.

75. Luke 2:21. On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. The Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. The name that saves. The name above all names. Prayer: Jesus, I call on your holy name.

76. Luke 2:22 to 24. When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought Jesus to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. The Presentation. The Church celebrates it on February 2. Simeon and Anna. The old man and the old woman. They had waited their whole lives. They saw the Savior. Prayer: Let me see your salvation.

77. Luke 2:25. There was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel. The Holy Spirit was on him. Waiting. Righteous. Devout. Spirit filled. Simeon was ready. Prayer: Make me ready for when you come.

78. Luke 2:26. The Holy Spirit revealed to him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. A promise. He would see the Messiah. He was old. He kept waiting. God keeps promises. Prayer: Help me wait for your promises.

79. Luke 2:27. The Spirit led him to the temple courts. Simeon was led by the Spirit. The same Spirit that led him to the temple leads you. Follow. Prayer: Lead me by your Spirit.

80. Luke 2:28 to 32. Simeon took the baby in his arms and praised God. He said, Sovereign Lord, let your servant depart in peace, for my eyes have seen your salvation. Simeon was ready to die. He had seen salvation. The Church prays this canticle every night at Compline. Prayer: Let me see your salvation before I die.

81. Luke 2:33. Joseph and Mary marveled at what was said about him. They kept learning. Even the parents of Jesus were amazed. Christmas continues to amaze. Keep being amazed. Prayer: Keep me amazed at Jesus.

82. Luke 2:34 to 35. This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many. A sword will pierce your own soul too. Joy and sorrow. Rising and falling. The manger led to the cross. Mary’s heart would break. But she would see resurrection. The Church calls her Our Lady of Sorrows. Prayer: Hold me in both joy and sorrow.

83. Luke 2:36. There was also a prophet, Anna. She was very old. She had lived with her husband seven years. She was a widow. Faithful. Waiting. She never left the temple. The Church honors her as a model of prayer. Prayer: Give me Anna’s faithfulness.

84. Luke 2:37 to 38. She worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. She gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Worship. Fast. Prayer. Thanks. Speaking. Anna did it all. She is a model of waiting well. Prayer: Make me like Anna.

85. Luke 2:39. They returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Home. After Egypt. After the temple. After all the travel. They went home. Ordinary life. God’s will is often in the ordinary. Prayer: Help me find you in the ordinary.

86. Luke 2:40. The child grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. Jesus grew. He learned. He developed. He is fully human. The Church affirms his true humanity. Prayer: Help me grow in wisdom and grace.

87. Luke 2:41 to 52. The finding in the temple. Jesus stayed behind. Mary and Joseph searched for three days. They found him in the temple, listening to the teachers. The Church celebrates this feast. The boy is about his Father’s business. Prayer: Let me seek you until I find you.

The Gospel of John

88. John 1:1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Church reads this at the Christmas Day Mass. Not a second beginning. The beginning before creation. The Word existed. The Word was with God. The Word was God. Prayer: Word of God, speak to me.

89. John 1:2. He was with God in the beginning. With God. Not a creature. Not an angel. With God. Equal to God. The second person of the Trinity. Prayer: I worship you, Word of God.

90. John 1:3. Through him all things were made. Without him nothing was made that has been made. Jesus is the creator. The baby in the manger made the universe. That is the mystery of the Incarnation. Prayer: Creator of all, be born in my heart.

91. John 1:4. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. Life and light. Jesus is both. He gives life. He shines light. The manger is the source of both. Prayer: Give me life. Shine your light on me.

92. John 1:5. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Light shines. Darkness does not overcome. Not cannot. Does not. The manger is the light. Your darkness is not stronger. Prayer: Let your light shine in my darkness.

93. John 1:9. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. True light. Not a false light. Not a dim light. True. He gives light to everyone. Not just some. Everyone. Prayer: Light of the world, give light to me.

94. John 1:10. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. The tragedy of Christmas. The creator came to his creation. His creation did not know him. Do you recognize him? Prayer: Open my eyes to recognize you.

95. John 1:11. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. His own people. The Jews. The chosen nation. They rejected him. Rejection is part of the Christmas story. Joseph and Mary knew it. Jesus would know it more. Prayer: I receive you. Come into my heart.

96. John 1:12. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. Receive and believe. That is all. Not earn. Not achieve. Receive. Believe. Become. Child of God. That is your new identity. Prayer: I receive you. I believe. Make me your child.

97. John 1:13. Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. Not by blood. Not by the flesh. Not by human will. By God. Your second birth is a divine work. Christmas is the first birth. Your salvation is the second. Prayer: Give me a second birth.

98. John 1:14. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son. The Word became flesh. Not a spirit. Not an idea. Flesh. Bones. Blood. Skin. A baby. That is the miracle. Dwelling among us. The Church calls this the Incarnation. Prayer: Thank you for becoming flesh.

99. John 1:16. Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. Fullness. Not partial. Not lacking. Fullness. Grace upon grace. Not one grace. Many. Layer upon layer. Christmas is the first grace. Your whole life is more grace. Prayer: Pour out your grace upon me.

100. John 1:17. For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Law and grace. Moses and Jesus. The law shows you your sin. Grace saves you from your sin. The law is good. Grace is better. Prayer: Thank you for the grace of Jesus.

101. John 1:18. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. The invisible became visible. You want to see God? Look at Jesus. The baby in the manger is the image of the invisible. Prayer: Show me the Father through the Son.

102. John 3:16. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. The most famous verse. Love. Giving. Son. Belief. Life. The manger holds it all. The Church calls John 3:16 the gospel in miniature. Prayer: I believe in you. Give me eternal life.

103. John 3:17. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Not condemnation. Salvation. The manger is not a courtroom. It is a rescue mission. Jesus came to save, not to judge. Prayer: Save me, Lord Jesus.

The Epistles

104. Romans 1:1 to 4. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God. The gospel promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. The gospel is not new. It is promised. The Old Testament points to Jesus. Prayer: Help me see Jesus in all of Scripture.

105. Romans 1:3 to 4. Regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead. Descendant of David. Human. Appointed Son of God. Divine. The resurrection proves it. The manger is the beginning. The empty tomb is the proof. Prayer: I believe in your birth and your resurrection.

106. Romans 5:12 to 19. Just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so death came to all people. The first Adam brought death. The last Adam brings life. Jesus is the last Adam. The manger is his first breath. Prayer: Last Adam, breathe life into me.

107. Romans 5:20 to 21. Where sin increased, grace increased all the more. More sin. More grace. Not a license to sin. A reason to hope. No matter your sin, grace is bigger. The manger proves it. Prayer: Let your grace be greater than my sin.

108. Romans 8:1 to 4. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. The law could not do what it was powerless to do. God did by sending his own Son. God sent his Son. The manger is the sending. No condemnation. That is the result. Prayer: There is no condemnation for me. I am in Christ.

109. Romans 8:31 to 32. If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son will give us all things. He gave Jesus. He will give everything else. The logic is simple. God is generous. The manger proves his generosity. Prayer: Give me all things because you gave Jesus.

110. 1 Corinthians 1:20 to 25. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom. We preach Christ crucified. The manger is foolishness to the world. A baby in a feed trough. But the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom. Prayer: Let me embrace the foolishness of the cross and the manger.

111. Galatians 4:4 to 5. When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law. Set time. God had a calendar. Christmas was on it. Born of a woman. Fully human. Born under the law. Fully Jewish. To redeem. Fully Savior. Prayer: Thank you for sending your Son at the right time.

112. Ephesians 1:3 to 6. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing. Every spiritual blessing. Not some. Every. In the heavenly places. Already yours. Start the Christmas season walking in them. Prayer: Let me walk in every spiritual blessing.

113. Ephesians 1:7 to 8. In him we have redemption, forgiveness, and the riches of God’s grace. Riches of grace. Not petty cash. Riches. Lavished on you. Not measured out carefully. Lavished. That is God’s style. Prayer: Lavish your grace on me.

114. Ephesians 1:9 to 10. He made known to us the mystery of his will. To bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. Unity. Christmas is about unity. God and man united in Christ. Jews and Gentiles united in the Church. Heaven and earth united in the new creation. Prayer: Bring unity to all things through Christ.

115. Ephesians 3:8 to 12. The boundless riches of Christ. The mystery hidden for ages but now revealed. Revealed in the manger. Revealed on the cross. Revealed to the nations. Christ is for everyone. Prayer: Reveal the mystery of Christ to me.

116. Philippians 2:5 to 7. In your relationships have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage. He made himself nothing. Emptied himself. The infinite became an infant. The omnipotent became a nursing baby. The creator became a creature. That is the incarnation. Prayer: Help me empty myself like you did.

117. Philippians 2:8 to 11. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Therefore God exalted him to the highest place. Humility to death. Exaltation to highest. The manger leads to the cross. The cross leads to the throne. Worship him. Prayer: I humble myself before you. I exalt you.

118. Colossians 1:15 to 17. He is the image of the invisible God. By him all things were created. He is before all things. In him all things hold together. The baby in the manger created the universe. He holds it together. He is before it all. Worship him. Prayer: You created all things. You hold me together.

119. Colossians 1:18 to 20. He is the head of the body, the church. God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things through the blood of the cross. The manger leads to the cross. The cradle points to the crucifixion. Do not separate them. Christmas only makes sense because of Easter. Prayer: Let me see the cross in the manger.

120. 1 Timothy 1:15. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. He came to save. Not to judge. Not to condemn. To save. Sinners. That includes you. The manger is salvation arriving. Prayer: Save me, Lord Jesus.

121. 1 Timothy 3:16. He appeared in the flesh. The summary of the incarnation. He appeared. He was not a myth. Not a legend. He appeared. In flesh. Worship him. Prayer: I worship you who appeared in the flesh.

122. Hebrews 1:1 to 2. In the past God spoke through the prophets. In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. The Son is the final word. Not another prophet. Not another book. His Son. The manger is God’s final message. Prayer: Speak to me through your Son.

123. Hebrews 1:5 to 6. You are my Son. Today I have become your Father. When God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, let all God’s angels worship him. The angels worship Jesus. Not just God the Father. The Son. The baby in the manger receives angelic worship. Prayer: I worship you with the angels.

124. Hebrews 2:14 to 15. He shared in their humanity. He became like us. Not like an angel. Like us. Human. Tired. Hungry. Cold. He knows. The manger proves it. Through death he destroyed death. The baby grew up to conquer death. Prayer: Thank you for sharing in my humanity.

125. Hebrews 2:17. He had to be made like them, fully human, in order to become a merciful and faithful high priest. Fully human. Not partly. Fully. To be merciful. To be faithful. The manger made the priesthood possible. Prayer: Be my merciful and faithful high priest.

126. 1 John 1:1 to 2. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched. This we proclaim. John’s testimony. He heard. He saw. He touched. The manger was touchable. Christmas is tangible. The Eucharist is still touchable. Prayer: Let me hear, see, and touch you.

127. 1 John 4:2. Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. Coming in the flesh is essential. Not just a spirit. Not just a teacher. Flesh and blood. That confession is from God. Prayer: I confess that Jesus came in the flesh.

128. 1 John 4:9 to 10. God showed his love among us. He sent his one and only Son. This is love. Not that we loved God, but that he loved us. Love started with God. Not with you. You did not initiate. He did. He sent his Son. The manger proves love is one sided. He acts first. Prayer: Thank you for loving me first.

129. 1 John 4:14 to 15. The Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. Acknowledgment. Belief. That is the response. God lives in you. You live in God. Prayer: I acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God. Live in me.

130. 1 John 5:20. The Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. We are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He has come. Past tense. Already happened. He gave understanding. Not confusion. Not doubt. Understanding. Prayer: Give me understanding of this mystery.

The Psalms for Christmas

131. Psalm 2:7. You are my Son. Today I have become your Father. The Father speaks to the Son. The eternal generation. The Son is begotten, not made. The Church sings this psalm on Christmas. Prayer: You are my Son. I worship you.

132. Psalm 19:1 to 2. The heavens declare the glory of God. The skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech. The stars declared his birth. The heavens pointed to the manger. Creation celebrates Christmas. Prayer: Let all creation praise you.

133. Psalm 24:7 to 10. Lift up your heads, you gates. Be lifted up, you ancient doors. That the King of glory may come in. The gates of your heart. Lift them. The King wants to enter. Let him in. Prayer: Lift the gates of my heart. Let the King of glory in.

134. Psalm 72:10 to 11. May the kings of Sheba bring tribute. May all kings bow down to him. The wise men were the first kings to bow. More will come. Every knee will bow. The Christmas baby will be crowned. Prayer: Let every knee bow to Jesus.

135. Psalm 85:10 to 11. Love and faithfulness meet together. Righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth. Love, faithfulness, righteousness, peace. Four virtues in harmony. The manger is where they meet. Prayer: Let love and faithfulness meet in me.

136. Psalm 89:19 to 20. You have given help to one who is mighty. You have exalted the chosen one from the people. I have found David my servant. David is the type. Jesus is the fulfillment. The son of David. The chosen one. Prayer: Exalt your chosen one in my heart.

137. Psalm 96:11 to 12. Let the heavens rejoice. Let the earth be glad. Let the sea resound. Let the fields be jubilant. All creation celebrates Christmas. The heavens rejoiced with angels. Join them. Prayer: Let all creation celebrate with me.

138. Psalm 98:1 to 3. Sing to the Lord a new song. He has done marvelous things. His right hand has worked salvation. He has remembered his love and faithfulness to Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. A new song. Not the same old song. Christmas deserves a new song. Prayer: Put a new song in my mouth.

139. Psalm 110:1 to 2. The Lord says to my Lord, sit at my right hand. The Father and the Son. Conversation before creation. A plan before time. Christmas is that plan arriving. Prayer: Thank you for the plan made before time began.

140. Psalm 110:3. Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. The Christmas battle. Not against flesh and blood. Against the powers of darkness. The manger is the first victory. Prayer: Make me willing on your day of battle.

141. Psalm 110:4. You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. A priest from a different order. Not Levi. Melchizedek. King priest. Jesus is both. The manger baby is the eternal priest. Prayer: Be my priest forever.

142. Psalm 118:22 to 24. The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The Lord has done this. This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Jesus was rejected. He became the cornerstone. Christmas is the day the Lord made. Rejoice. Prayer: I rejoice and am glad in this day.

143. Psalm 132:11. The Lord swore an oath to David. One of your own descendants I will place on your throne. Jesus is that descendant. The throne of David is eternal. His kingdom never ends. The manger is his coronation. Prayer: Let Jesus reign on the throne of my heart.

144. Psalm 132:15. I will bless her with abundant provision. Her poor I will satisfy with food. Bethlehem means house of bread. Jesus is the bread of life. Born in the house of bread. Laid in a feed trough. He satisfies the hungry. Prayer: Satisfy me with the bread of life.

145. Psalm 147:12 to 14. Extol the Lord, Jerusalem. He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. He grants peace to your borders. Peace to the borders of your heart. The manger brings peace. Prayer: Grant peace to the borders of my heart.

The O Antiphons

146. December 17. O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things. Come and teach us the way of prudence. The Church sings this antiphon. Wisdom is a person. Jesus. Come and teach. Prayer: O Wisdom, come and teach me.

147. December 18. O Adonai, and leader of the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai. Come and redeem us with outstretched arm. Adonai means Lord. Jesus is Lord. He appeared in fire. He gives the law. He redeems. Prayer: O Adonai, redeem me.

148. December 19. O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign for the peoples. Before you kings will shut their mouths. To you the nations will make their prayer. Come and deliver us, and do not delay. The stump of Jesse. The dead tree. The root. Life from death. Jesus came from a forgotten line. He grew where nothing grew. Prayer: O Root of Jesse, deliver me.

149. December 20. O Key of David, and scepter of the house of Israel. You open and no one can shut. You shut and no one can open. Come and lead the captive from prison. Jesus holds the key. He opens doors. He shuts doors. He sets captives free. Prayer: O Key of David, set me free.

150. December 21. O Rising Dawn, splendor of eternal light, and sun of justice. Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. The rising sun. Jesus is the sunrise. He shines on the dark. He brings justice. He enlightens. Prayer: O Rising Dawn, shine on me.

151. December 22. O King of the Nations, and their desire. The cornerstone who makes all one. Come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust. The King of the Nations. Not just Israel. All nations. Their desire. What every heart longs for. The cornerstone. The one who unites. Prayer: O King of the Nations, save me.

152. December 23. O Emmanuel, our King and lawgiver, the expectation and salvation of the nations. Come and save us, O Lord our God. Emmanuel. God with us. The final antiphon. The longing is almost over. He is coming. He is here. Prayer: O Emmanuel, God with us, save us.

The Christmas Day Masses

153. Christmas Vigil Mass. Matthew 1:18 to 25. The genealogy and the birth announcement. The Church begins Christmas with the legal proof. Jesus is the son of David. The Messiah has come. Prayer: Thank you for the legal proof of your kingship.

154. Christmas Vigil Mass. Isaiah 62:1 to 5. For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent. The Lord will delight in you. The Church reads this prophecy. God will not be silent. He speaks in the manger. He delights in his people. Prayer: Delight in me, Lord.

155. Christmas Vigil Mass. Acts 13:16 to 41. Paul preaches Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise to David. The promise kept. God does not break promises. The manger is the proof. Prayer: Thank you for keeping your promises.

156. Christmas Midnight Mass. Luke 2:1 to 14. The birth of Jesus. The angels and the shepherds. The Church reads this at the most solemn Mass of Christmas. The glory of the Lord shone around them. It still shines. Prayer: Let your glory shine on me.

157. Christmas Midnight Mass. Isaiah 9:1 to 7. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. The Church reads this at Midnight Mass. The light of Christ dispels the darkness. The darkness cannot overcome it. Prayer: Let your light dispel my darkness.

158. Christmas Midnight Mass. Titus 2:11 to 14. The grace of God has appeared. Grace appeared. Not a concept. A person. Jesus. He offers salvation to all. He trains us to say no to sin. Prayer: Let your grace appear in my life.

159. Christmas Dawn Mass. Luke 2:15 to 20. The shepherds go to Bethlehem. They find Mary and Joseph and the baby. They spread the word. They return glorifying God. The Church reads this at dawn. The journey from darkness to light. Prayer: Let me go to Bethlehem. Let me return glorifying you.

160. Christmas Dawn Mass. Isaiah 62:11 to 12. The Lord has proclaimed to the ends of the earth. Say to daughter Zion, your Savior comes. The announcement. The world had waited. The announcement came. Your Savior comes. Prayer: Your Savior comes to me.

161. Christmas Dawn Mass. Titus 3:4 to 7. The kindness and love of God our Savior appeared. He saved us through the washing of rebirth. Kindness, love, washing, rebirth. All of them are grace. Not works. Grace. Prayer: Wash me and give me rebirth.

162. Christmas Day Mass. John 1:1 to 18. The Prologue. In the beginning was the Word. The Word became flesh. The Church reads this at the Mass of the Day. The theology of Christmas. The meaning of the manger. Prayer: Word made flesh, dwell in me.

163. Christmas Day Mass. Isaiah 52:7 to 10. How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news. The good news of salvation. The angels brought it to the shepherds. The Church brings it to the world. Prayer: Make me a bearer of good news.

164. Christmas Day Mass. Hebrews 1:1 to 6. God has spoken to us by his Son. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory. The exact representation of his being. He is the final word. Prayer: Speak to me through your Son.

The Octave of Christmas

165. December 26. Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr. Acts 6:8 to 10. Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders. The first martyr. The first to die for Christ. He was born on Christmas and died for Christmas. The Church puts his feast right after the birth. The manger and the martyrdom belong together. Prayer: Stephen, pray for us.

166. December 26. Matthew 10:17 to 22. You will be hated by all because of me. The one who stands firm to the end will be saved. Christmas is not sentimental. It is costly. Following Jesus costs everything. Stephen paid the price. Prayer: Give me the courage to stand firm.

167. December 27. Feast of Saint John the Evangelist. 1 John 1:1 to 4. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen. John’s testimony. He was there. He saw. He touched. He wrote. His Gospel is the most theological. Prayer: John, pray for us.

168. December 27. John 20:2 to 8. The other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. He saw the linen cloths. He believed. John was at the cross. He was at the empty tomb. He saw it all. Prayer: Help me believe like John.

169. December 28. Feast of the Holy Innocents. Matthew 2:13 to 18. Herod killed all the boys in Bethlehem. The Church remembers the babies who died for Christ. They were too young to speak. They spoke by their blood. They are the first martyrs after Jesus. Prayer: Holy Innocents, pray for us.

170. December 28. Jeremiah 31:15 to 17. A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeping for her children. The prophecy of the massacre. The Church reads it on this feast. The tears are real. But hope follows. Prayer: Comfort those who weep this Christmas.

171. December 29. Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas. Luke 2:22 to 35. The Presentation in the Temple. Simeon takes the baby in his arms. Now let your servant depart in peace. The Church reads this Gospel before the octave ends. Simeon had waited his whole life. He saw salvation. Prayer: Let me see your salvation.

172. December 30. Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas. Luke 2:36 to 40. Anna the prophetess. She never left the temple. She worshiped night and day. She saw the child. She spoke about him. The Church honors faithful widows. Prayer: Give me Anna’s faithfulness.

173. December 31. Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas. John 1:1 to 18. The Prologue again. The Church ends the year with the same words that began it. The Word became flesh. The Word is eternal. The Word is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Prayer: Your Word endures forever.

174. January 1. Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Luke 2:16 to 21. The shepherds found Mary and Joseph and the baby. On the eighth day, he was named Jesus. The Church honors Mary as Theotokos, God bearer. If Mary is not the Mother of God, then Jesus is not God. She is. He is. Prayer: Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

175. January 1. Numbers 6:22 to 27. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. The priestly blessing. On this first day of the year, the Church blesses the world. Prayer: Bless me, Lord. Keep me. Shine on me. Give me peace.

The Feast of the Holy Family

176. Sunday within the Octave of Christmas or December 30. Feast of the Holy Family. Luke 2:22 to 40. The Presentation. The Church honors Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. The model family. Not perfect. Not without struggle. Faithful. Obedient. Trusting. Prayer: Holy Family, pray for my family.

177. Holy Family. Genesis 15:1 to 6. Abraham believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. Abraham is the father in faith. Joseph follows his faith. Mary follows her faith. Jesus trusts his Father. Faith is the foundation of family. Prayer: Increase my faith.

178. Holy Family. Colossians 3:12 to 21. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Wives, submit to your husbands. Husbands, love your wives. Children, obey your parents. The Church reads this for families. The rules for holy family life. Prayer: Help my family live these words.

179. Holy Family. 1 Samuel 1:20 to 22. Hannah gave birth to Samuel. She dedicated him to the Lord. Mary dedicated Jesus in the temple. Dedicate your children to God. Prayer: Help me dedicate my children to you.

180. Holy Family. 1 John 3:1 to 2. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. Child of God. That is your identity. Not based on your family of origin. Based on adoption into God’s family. Prayer: Thank you for making me your child.

The Feast of the Epiphany

181. January 6. Solemnity of the Epiphany. Matthew 2:1 to 12. The Magi from the east. The star. The gifts. The worship. The Church celebrates the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles. The wise men represent all nations. Christmas is for everyone. Prayer: Draw all nations to your light.

182. Epiphany. Isaiah 60:1 to 6. Arise, shine, for your light has come. Nations will come to your light. The prophecy of the wise men. The wealth of the nations will come to you. Gold and frankincense. The Church reads this at the Epiphany Mass. Prayer: I come to your light.

183. Epiphany. Ephesians 3:2 to 6. The mystery made known to me by revelation. The mystery that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body. The Gospel is for everyone. Not just Jews. All nations. Prayer: Thank you for including me.

184. Epiphany. Matthew 2:1 to 12. The Magi worshiped the child and returned by another route. They were changed. You cannot worship and stay the same. The Epiphany changes you. Prayer: Change me as I worship you.

185. Epiphany. Psalm 72:1 to 2. Endow the king with your justice. May he judge your people with righteousness. The psalm of the king. The psalm of the wise men. The king they sought is just. He rules with righteousness. Prayer: Rule over me with justice.

186. Epiphany. Psalm 72:10 to 11. May the kings of Sheba bring tribute. May all kings bow down to him. The wise men fulfilled this psalm. They bowed. They gave. They worshiped. Prayer: I bow before you. I give you my gifts.

187. Epiphany. Psalm 72:17 to 19. May his name endure forever. All nations will be blessed through him. Blessed be his glorious name forever. May the whole earth be filled with his glory. The name of Jesus endures. The whole earth will be filled with his glory. The Epiphany is the first glimpse. Prayer: Fill the whole earth with your glory.

The Baptism of the Lord

188. Sunday after Epiphany. Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Matthew 3:13 to 17. Jesus came from Galilee to be baptized by John. A voice from heaven said, This is my Son, whom I love. The heavens open. The Spirit descends. The Father speaks. The Trinity revealed. The Christmas season ends with this revelation. The baby is the Son. Prayer: You are my beloved Son. I love you.

189. Baptism of the Lord. Isaiah 42:1 to 6. Here is my servant, whom I uphold. I will put my Spirit on him. The prophecy of the servant. Jesus is the servant. The one who brings justice. The one who is a light to the nations. Prayer: Let your Spirit rest on me.

190. Baptism of the Lord. Acts 10:34 to 38. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went around doing good. The baptism was the anointing. The manger led to the Jordan. The Jordan led to the cross. The cross led to the resurrection. Prayer: Anoint me with your Spirit.

191. Baptism of the Lord. Psalm 29:3 to 4. The voice of the Lord is over the waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful. At the baptism, the Father’s voice spoke. The same voice that spoke at creation. The same voice that will speak at the end. Prayer: Speak your powerful word over me.

192. Baptism of the Lord. Psalm 29:11. The Lord gives strength to his people. The Lord blesses his people with peace. Strength and peace. Two gifts for the new year. The Christmas season ends with these gifts. Prayer: Give me strength and peace.

The Presentation of the Lord

193. February 2. Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Luke 2:22 to 40. Simeon and Anna. The old man and the old woman. They had waited. They saw. They worshiped. The Church ends the Christmas season on this day, forty days after Christmas. Prayer: Let me see your salvation.

194. Presentation. Malachi 3:1 to 4. The Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his temple. He will purify the sons of Levi. Jesus came to the temple. Simeon and Anna were there. The purification began. The old covenant met the new. Prayer: Purify me in your temple.

195. Presentation. Hebrews 2:14 to 18. He had to be made like them, fully human. He is able to help those who are being tempted. The baby in the temple is the high priest. He suffered. He was tempted. He can help you. Prayer: Help me when I am tempted.

196. Presentation. Psalm 24:7 to 10. Lift up your heads, you gates. The King of glory will come in. The temple gates opened for the King. He entered as a baby. He entered as a sacrifice. He enters your heart. Prayer: Open the gates of my heart for the King.

197. Presentation. Psalm 24:1 to 2. The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. The world belongs to him. The temple belongs to him. Your heart belongs to him. The baby in the temple is the owner. Prayer: I belong to you.

Marian Verses for Christmas

198. Luke 1:28. Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you. The angel’s greeting. The Church prays these words thousands of times each day. The Hail Mary. The greeting to the Mother of God. Prayer: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.

199. Luke 1:42. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Elizabeth’s greeting. The Church prays these words in the Hail Mary. Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Prayer: Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

200. Luke 1:48. All generations will call me blessed. Mary’s prophecy. The Church has called her blessed for two thousand years. She is blessed because she believed. The angel told her nothing is impossible with God. She believed. Prayer: Blessed are you among women.

201. Luke 2:19. Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The Church calls Mary the Seat of Wisdom. She pondered the Word. She kept it in her heart. She teaches you to do the same. Prayer: Help me treasure and ponder your word.

202. Luke 2:34 to 35. A sword will pierce your own soul too. Mary’s sorrow. The Church honors her as Our Lady of Sorrows. The sword of grief. The grief of watching her son die. The grief of every mother who has lost a child. Prayer: Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.

203. John 2:1 to 5. The wedding at Cana. Do whatever he tells you. Mary’s last words in scripture. Do whatever Jesus tells you. That is her message. That is her mission. To point to her son. Prayer: Mary, help me do whatever Jesus tells me.

204. John 19:26 to 27. Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your mother. Jesus gave Mary to John. He gave Mary to you. She is your mother. The mother of the Church. The mother of all believers. Prayer: Mary, mother of the Church, pray for me.

205. Revelation 12:1. A great sign appeared in heaven. A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. The Church sees Mary in this sign. The woman who gave birth to the Messiah. The woman who is honored in heaven. Prayer: Mary, great sign of hope, pray for us.

The Eucharist and Christmas

206. John 6:51. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The bread of life. Born in Bethlehem, the house of bread. The manger is a feed trough. The Eucharist is the true bread. Prayer: Bread of life, feed me.

207. John 6:33. The bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. Jesus is the bread. Not a symbol. Bread. His flesh. His body. The Eucharist is the continuation of Christmas. God with us in the sacrament. Prayer: Give me the bread of heaven.

208. John 6:35. I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry. The manger held him. The altar holds him. Come to him. Never hunger again. Prayer: I come to you. Feed me.

209. Luke 22:19. This is my body given for you. The Last Supper. The institution of the Eucharist. Jesus took bread. He blessed it. He broke it. He gave it. The manger led to the Upper Room. The Upper Room leads to the altar. Prayer: Thank you for the gift of the Eucharist.

210. Matthew 26:26 to 28. Take and eat. This is my body. Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood. The command. Take. Eat. Drink. Do this. The Church has done it for two thousand years. Christmas is the origin. The Eucharist is the continuation. Prayer: I take. I eat. I drink. Thank you.

Prayers from the Liturgy

211. The Collect for Christmas Vigil Mass. O God, who make us glad each year as we await the coming of our redemption, grant that we who joyfully welcome your only Son as our Redeemer may behold him without fear when he comes as our Judge. Prayer: Make me glad as I await your coming.

212. The Collect for Christmas Midnight Mass. O God, who have made this most sacred night radiant with the splendor of the true light, grant that we who have known the mysteries of his light on earth may enjoy his happiness in heaven. Prayer: Make this night radiant with your light.

213. The Collect for Christmas Dawn Mass. O God, who make us radiant with the light of the Word made flesh, give us the light of your glory and lead us through the works of justice to the gift of eternal life. Prayer: Make me radiant with your light.

214. The Collect for Christmas Day Mass. O God, who wonderfully created the dignity of human nature and still more wonderfully restored it, grant that we may share in the divinity of Christ who humbled himself to share in our humanity. Prayer: Share your divinity with me.

215. The Prayer over the Offerings for Christmas. Receive our offerings, O Lord, on this solemn feast, and grant that we who celebrate the beginning of our redemption may merit to receive its fulfillment. Prayer: Receive my offering. Give me redemption.

216. The Preface for Christmas. It is truly right and just that we should give you thanks. For through the incarnation of the Word, the radiant light of your truth has shone in our hearts. The Church sings this preface at every Christmas Mass. Prayer: Let your radiant light shine in my heart.

217. The Prayer after Communion for Christmas. Grant, O Lord, that we who have celebrated the birth of your Son with joyful worship may live in his presence with faith and grow in the likeness of his glory. Prayer: Help me live in your presence with faith.

218. The Blessing at the End of Christmas Mass. May God bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine on you. May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. The priest blesses the people with the words from Numbers. The blessing of Christmas. Prayer: Bless me. Keep me. Shine on me. Give me peace.

Verses for Christmas Night

219. Luke 2:8. Shepherds living out in the fields. Keeping watch. Night shift. Ordinary work. God interrupted their normal night. He interrupts yours too. Prayer: Interrupt my ordinary night with your presence.

220. Luke 2:9. The glory of the Lord shone around them. Glory is not subtle. It shines. It blinds. The shepherds saw something they had never seen. Ordinary fields became holy ground. Prayer: Let your glory shine around my home.

221. Luke 2:10. Do not be afraid. Fear is the first response to divine presence. The angel addressed it immediately. Jesus came to remove fear. Not just at Christmas. Forever. Prayer: Remove my fear.

222. Luke 2:11. A Savior has been born to you. To you. Not to the emperor. Not to the priests. To you. Personal. Christmas is for you. Prayer: I receive the Savior born for me.

223. Luke 2:12. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. The sign was specific. A manger. Not a palace. God gives signs that require you to look. He does not make it too easy. You must go and see. Prayer: Help me find the sign you have given.

224. Luke 2:13 to 14. A great company of the heavenly host appeared. Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth. The angels sang. They still sing. Join them. Prayer: Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth.

225. Luke 2:15. Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened. The shepherds decided. They did not stay in fear. They moved toward the miracle. Decision leads to action. Prayer: Give me the courage to go toward you.

226. Luke 2:16. They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby. Hurrying. Finding. Seeking leads to finding. The shepherds are proof. Seek Jesus. You will find him. Prayer: I seek you. Let me find you.

227. Luke 2:17. They spread the word. Seeing led to telling. The shepherds became the first evangelists. Their message was simple. We saw the baby. Your message can be just as simple. Prayer: Let me tell what I have seen.

228. Luke 2:19. Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The night is quiet. The shepherds are gone. The angels have returned to heaven. Mary sits with the mystery. She holds it. She ponders. Prayer: Teach me to treasure and ponder.

229. Luke 2:20. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God. They went back to work. But they were different. Their ordinary lives became worship. Your ordinary life can become worship too. Prayer: Let my ordinary day be worship.

Verses for Christmas Morning

230. John 1:14. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. Morning has come. The Word is flesh. God is with us. Not a distant memory. A present reality. The Eucharist is his dwelling. The Church is his dwelling. Your heart is his dwelling. Prayer: Dwell in me, Word made flesh.

231. Luke 2:7. She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger. Morning brings the memory. The birth. The manger. The cloths. The poverty. The humility. The love. Prayer: Wrap me in the cloths of your humility.

232. Luke 2:11. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. Today. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Today. Christmas morning is today. The Savior is born. For you. Right now. Prayer: Savior, be born in my heart today.

233. Matthew 1:23. They will call him Immanuel, which means God with us. Christmas morning. God is with us. Not God was with us. Not God will be with us. God is with us. Now. In this moment. Prayer: Immanuel, God with me, I worship you.

234. Isaiah 9:6. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. To us. Not to angels. Not to distant beings. To us. Personal. The child is born for me. The son is given for me. Prayer: The child is born for me. The son is given for me.

235. Psalm 118:24. This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Christmas morning. The day the Lord made. Not just any day. This day. Rejoice. Be glad. Not because of presents. Because of presence. God with us. Prayer: I rejoice and am glad in this day.

236. 1 John 4:9. God showed his love among us. He sent his one and only Son. Christmas morning is love on display. Not a lecture. Not a book. A baby. Love wrapped in skin. Love crying. Love nursing. Love sleeping in hay. Prayer: Show me your love this morning.

237. John 3:16. God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. The most famous verse. Morning meditation. Love. Giving. Son. Belief. Life. The manger holds it all. Prayer: I believe in you. Give me eternal life.

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Verses for the Christmas Season

238. Luke 2:1 to 20. The whole Christmas story. From Caesar to the shepherds. From the census to the manger. The Church reads it every year. It never gets old. Each time, the Spirit makes it new. Prayer: Let the story always be new to me.

239. Matthew 1:18 to 25. The story from Joseph’s perspective. The dream. The angel. The decision. The obedience. Joseph is the silent saint. He speaks no words in scripture. He acts. He obeys. Prayer: Joseph, pray for us.

240. John 1:1 to 18. The Prologue. The theology of Christmas. The Word. The light. The glory. The grace. The Church reads it on Christmas Day and throughout the season. It is the lens through which to see the manger. Prayer: Word made flesh, teach me.

241. Isaiah 9:1 to 7. The prophecy of the light. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. The Christmas season is the celebration of that light. It shines for forty days. Do not let it fade. Prayer: Let your light shine in the darkness of my life.

242. Isaiah 7:10 to 14. The sign of Immanuel. The virgin shall conceive. The Church reads this during Advent. It echoes throughout Christmas. God gives signs. This is the greatest. A virgin gives birth. God is with us. Prayer: I believe the sign. Immanuel has come.

243. Micah 5:2 to 4. Bethlehem, you are small. Yet from you will come the ruler. Small places. Unlikely people. God chooses what is weak to shame the strong. Bethlehem is small. You may feel small. God can use you. Prayer: Use my smallness for your glory.

244. Zephaniah 3:14 to 18. Shout for joy, daughter Zion. The Lord has taken away your punishment. Christmas is joy. Not fake joy. Real joy. The joy of sins forgiven. The joy of God with us. Prayer: Fill me with the joy of your presence.

245. Psalm 96. Sing to the Lord a new song. The whole psalm is a Christmas hymn. Sing. Praise. Proclaim. The nations hear. The Lord comes to judge the earth. Not to condemn. To rule with justice. Prayer: I sing a new song to you.

246. Psalm 98. Sing to the Lord a new song. He has done marvelous things. His right hand has worked salvation. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Christmas is global. The Church sings this psalm throughout the season. Prayer: Let all the ends of the earth see your salvation.

247. Psalm 100. Shout for joy to the Lord. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us. We are his people. Christmas is about belonging. You belong to God. He made you. He saved you. He claims you. Prayer: I belong to you.

248. Psalm 148. Praise the Lord from the heavens. Praise him from the earth. All creation praises. Angels. Sun and moon. Sea creatures. Mountains. Trees. Children. Old people. Everyone. Everything. The Church sings this psalm at Lauds. Let all creation praise. Prayer: Let all creation praise you.

249. Psalm 150. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. The final psalm. The final word. Praise. Everything. Every breath. Not some breath. Every breath. Christmas is a season of praise. Use your breath to praise him. Prayer: Let my breath praise you.

Verses for the End of Christmas

250. Luke 2:39. They returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The Christmas story does not end in Bethlehem. It ends in Nazareth. Ordinary life. The miracle becomes ordinary. But the ordinary is now holy. The Word has become flesh. Every place is holy ground. Prayer: Help me find you in the ordinary.

251. Luke 2:40. The child grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. The baby grew. He grew like any child. He learned. He developed. He was fully human. The Church affirms his humanity. The Word became flesh. Not a hologram. Real flesh. Real growth. Prayer: Help me grow in wisdom and grace.

252. Matthew 2:23. He went and lived in a town called Nazareth. The hidden years. Eighteen years of silence. The Word was silent. He worked. He prayed. He waited. The hidden years are not wasted. They are preparation. Your hidden years are not wasted either. Prayer: Bless the hidden years of my life.

253. John 1:14. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. The Christmas season ends. But the Word remains flesh. He is still with us. In the Eucharist. In the Church. In the poor. In your heart. Dwelling among us. Forever. Prayer: Dwell among us forever.

254. Revelation 21:3. The dwelling of God is with people. He will dwell with them. They will be his people. God himself will be with them. The ultimate fulfillment of Immanuel. The manger was the beginning. The new creation is the end. Prayer: Dwell with me now and forever.

255. Revelation 22:20. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The last prayer of the Bible. Come, Lord Jesus. Not just to Bethlehem. Come to this home. Come to this heart. Come again. Soon. The Christmas season ends with longing. He came once. He will come again. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Prayer: Come, Lord Jesus.

Final Prayers and Reflections

256. Saint Augustine. The Word was made flesh that we might be made divine. Christmas is not just about God becoming human. It is about humans becoming like God. Not in essence. In grace. Adoption. Transformation. Prayer: Transform me by your incarnation.

257. Saint Athanasius. He became what we are that we might become what he is. The exchange. He took our humanity. He gives us his divinity. Not that we become God. That we become like God. Holy. Loving. Eternal. Prayer: Make me like you.

258. Saint Leo the Great. Christian, remember your dignity. Now that you have become a partaker of the divine nature, do not return to your former baseness. Christmas gives you dignity. You are a child of God. Live like it. Prayer: Help me live my dignity as your child.

259. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. The Word was made flesh to bring us from the darkness of ignorance to the light of knowledge. Christmas is enlightenment. The Word shines in the darkness. The darkness does not overcome it. Let the light in. Prayer: Bring me from darkness to light.

260. Saint John Chrysostom. Bethlehem is the house of bread. He who called himself the bread of life was born there. The bread that came down from heaven. The Eucharist is the continuation of the incarnation. God with us on the altar. Prayer: Feed me with the bread of life.

261. Saint Gregory Nazianzen. Christ is born. Glorify him. Christ descends from heaven. Go out to meet him. The response to Christmas is worship. Go out to meet him. Not stay in the pew. Go. Meet him in the Eucharist. In the poor. In your heart. Prayer: I go out to meet you.

262. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem. We do not adore a mere man. We adore God. The baby in the manger is God. The Church has always taught this. Adore him. Not as a creature. As the Creator. Prayer: I adore you, true God and true man.

263. Saint Ephrem the Syrian. The womb of Mary became the bridal chamber where the Word took flesh. Mary is the bride. The Spirit is the overshadowing. Jesus is the offspring. The mystery of the incarnation is also the mystery of the Church. The Church gives birth to Christ in the world. Prayer: Mary, mother of the Word, pray for us.

264. Saint Thomas Aquinas. The Word was made flesh to restore us who had fallen. The purpose of Christmas is restoration. You who have fallen. You who are broken. You who are lost. The Word became flesh to restore you. Prayer: Restore me, O Word made flesh.

265. Saint Bonaventure. The tree of the cross bore fruit that the tree of life had lost. The manger leads to the cross. The tree of the cross gives life. The fruit of that tree is Jesus. Eat and live. Prayer: Feed me from the tree of the cross.

266. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. Let us go to Bethlehem. Let us see this word that has come to pass. The shepherds went. The wise men went. Mary and Joseph were there. Go. See. Worship. Then return. Changed. Prayer: I go to Bethlehem. I see. I worship.

267. Saint Francis of Assisi. He made the first nativity scene. He wanted people to see the poverty of the manger. The humility of God. The love of the Creator. Make a nativity scene in your heart. See the poverty. Love the humility. Worship the love. Prayer: Help me see the poverty and love of the manger.

268. Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Contemplate the birth of Christ. See the persons. Hear the sounds. Feel the cold. Smell the hay. Use your imagination to enter the scene. The Incarnation is not just history. It is present. You can be there. Prayer: Let me enter the scene of your birth.

269. Saint Therese of Lisieux. The little way begins at Bethlehem. God became small. Therese wanted to be small. She wanted to be little. The manger is the school of littleness. Become small. Then you can approach the King. Prayer: Teach me the littleness of Bethlehem.

270. Saint John Paul II. Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors to Christ. The words of the angel to Mary. The words of the pope to the world. Do not be afraid. Let him in. Open the doors of your heart. The King wants to enter. Prayer: I open the doors of my heart to you.

271. Pope Benedict XVI. Christmas is the feast of the closeness of God. Not distant. Not far. Close. In the manger. In the Eucharist. In your brother. In your heart. God is close. Do not fear. Prayer: Thank you for coming close to me.

272. Pope Francis. Christmas is the feast of tenderness. God became a baby. Babies are tender. They need to be held. They need to be loved. God asked for your tenderness. Hold him. Love him. He is not scary. He is tender. Prayer: Let me receive your tenderness.

273. Mother Teresa. Christmas is the feast of giving. God gave himself. He did not give something. He gave himself. Give yourself this Christmas. Not just presents. Presence. Yourself. Your time. Your love. That is the gift God wants. Prayer: Help me give myself to you.

274. Blessed Carlo Acutis. The Eucharist is the highway to heaven. The manger led to the cross. The cross led to the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the continuation of the incarnation. Jesus is still with us. In the bread. In the cup. He never left. Prayer: Thank you for staying with us in the Eucharist.

275. Luke 2:11. A Savior has been born to you. Read it one more time. A Savior. Has been born. To you. Not to someone else. To you. Christmas is personal. The Savior is yours. Receive him. Worship him. Love him. He is born. He is here. He is yours. Prayer: Thank you for the Savior born to me. I receive him. I worship him. I love him. Amen.

Living the Christmas Season as a Catholic

The Christmas season does not end on December 26. It goes until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Forty days of celebration. Forty days of feasting. Forty days of pondering the mystery. Do not pack up the nativity scene on December 26. Leave it out. Look at it every day. Let the figures remind you of the truth.

Go to Mass. Not just on Christmas Day. Every day of the octave. The Church gives you these days as a gift. Use them. The readings are different each day. The prayers are different each day. The mystery unfolds deeper each day.

Pray the Liturgy of the Hours. Morning Prayer. Evening Prayer. Night Prayer. The Church prays the Psalms. The Church prays the Magnificat. The Church prays the Benedictus. Join her. Your voice joins the voice of the Church around the world.

Fast after Christmas? No. Feast. The Church feasts at Christmas. Eat. Drink. Celebrate. The Word became flesh. That is good news. Flesh is good. Food is good. Celebration is good. Enjoy the feast.

Give alms. The wise men gave gifts. Give to the poor. Give to the Church. Give to those in need. Christmas is not just about receiving. It is about giving. God gave his Son. You give your resources.

Keep the nativity scene in your home. Let it remind you. God became small. God became vulnerable. God became poor. That is the mystery. Hold it in your heart. Let it change you.

Final Word

Merry Christmas. Not just a greeting. A proclamation. Christ is born. God is with us. The Word became flesh. The light shines in the darkness. The darkness has not overcome it. That is not just a story. It is history. It is your history. Your Savior came. He lived. He died. He rose. He is coming again.

Do not let the season pass without prayer. Do not let the manger become a decoration. Let it become the center of your heart. Kneel before the baby. Worship him. Love him. Then go. Live the Christmas mystery. Every day. All year. Until you see him face to face.

Merry Christmas. Christ is born. Glorify him.