Episode Details

Music: “The First Noel” (Latin).  Performed by Corpus Christi Watershed.  Used with permission.  Visit ccwatershed.org for more beautiful chants,hymnals, scores, and liturgical resources. Please pray for their good work!

A meditation for the liturgy of the Third Mass of the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, from Dom Guéranger’s “The Liturgical Year”.In the Third Mass of Christmas, the Church lifts her gaze above the crib to adore the eternal generation of the Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, God of God and Light of Light. Having celebrated at midnight the birth of Christ in the flesh and at dawn His birth in the souls of the faithful, she now proclaims the most sublime mystery: that the Child of Mary is consubstantial with the Father and reigns eternally as King, Creator, and Redeemer. The Epistle and Gospel draw the faithful into this divine contemplation, confessing that the Word who was “in the beginning” has taken flesh without ceasing to be God, and that through this Incarnation mankind is freed from the old bondage of sin and given the power to become children of God. The Mass resounds with triumph and light, calling all nations to adore Christ as Lord of heaven and earth, while praying that those who receive Him sacramentally may share not only in His new birth but also in the immortality and divine life He came to bestow.Dom Prosper Guéranger's The Liturgical Year, a monumental fifteen-volume work, offers a comprehensive exploration of the Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar, guiding readers through the spiritual and historical richness of the Church’s worship. Written in the 19th century, the series provides daily meditations, historical context, and liturgical texts for the Mass and Divine Office, covering the entire cycle of seasons—Advent, Christmas, Lent, Passiontide, Easter, and the Time after Pentecost—as well as feast days of saints. Guéranger’s work, rooted in a deep contemplative spirit, aims to immerse the faithful in the Church’s prayerful life, emphasizing the unity of faith through the axiom lex orandi, lex credendi ("the law of prayer is the law of belief"), and remains a cherished resource for Catholics seeking to deepen their spiritual lives. Dom Prosper Guéranger (1805–1875) was a French Benedictine monk, liturgical scholar, and founder of the Solesmes Abbey, renowned for his pivotal role in reviving the Benedictine Order in France and restoring the Roman liturgy after the disruptions of the French Revolution. Born in Sablé-sur-Sarthe, he entered the priesthood in 1827 and, inspired by a vision to restore monastic life, reestablished the Benedictine community at Solesmes in 1833, becoming its first abbot. A staunch defender of ultramontanism and traditional Catholic worship, he also championed the revival of Gregorian chant, significantly influencing the liturgical renewal movement.Please note: The entries of the Liturgical Year are primarily authored by Dom Prosper Guéranger, but occasionally contain editors’ additions of subsequent information and events that are relevant to the given feast.Link to the Dom Guéranger's Liturgical Year playlist (updated daily, unless a Ferial day): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZKdyYnV_bkh7rH6piW0ShgsdcefFoOvJIf you would like to support this channel, consider becoming a channel member, and get early access to all new readings:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEYRtJac7oQZQ4C0MSHT5WA/join