There are four separate liturgies in the Roman Missal to celebrate Christmas, the Nativity of the Lord. Each liturgy has its own set of antiphons, presider’s prayers, and readings. This Vigil Mass is notable in the way it features the Genealogy of Jesus, a literary marvel in which Matthew stresses the life and mission of Jesus within the history of Israel. It is presented in three groups of fourteen names, since fourteen is the numerical value of the name “David.” The end of the first fourteen names is King David. The end of the second fourteen names is the Babylonian exile and the loss of kingship. Lastly, the end of the third fourteen names climaxes in Jesus, the Christ and the King.
But Jesus is not the son of Joseph, even though Matthew has taken great care to set up this genealogy of Jesus as a continuity of the royal line of David, as concluded in the person of Joseph. Perhaps we can look at it this way. The whole genealogy can be seen as a symbol of the flesh, of humanity. And within this humanity, God intervened and turned the royal genealogy upside down through the conception of Jesus within Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the central mystery of the Incarnation.
The genealogy concludes with the story of Joseph, who is troubled that Mary, his betrothed, is expecting a child. In a dream, the angel of God told Joseph: “Do not be afraid!” Mary’s Son is the fulfillment of the story from the prophet Isaiah, of the virgin who would conceive and bear a son who would be called Emmanuel, a name that means “God is with us.”
Christmas Vigil Entrance Antiphon Today You Will Know That the Lord Will Come (Steve Angrisano. Sarah Hart, Curtis Stephan)
Let Us All Rejoice #14
This Entrance Antiphon is taken from Exodus 16: “Today you will know that the Lord will come, and he will save us, and in the morning you will see his glory.”
Entrance Chant O Come, All Ye Faithful (Traditional; arr. by Tom Booth)
Spirit & Song #150; Never Too Young #162; Breaking Bread 2026 #102
For the Entrance Chant, we can do no better than the iconic, “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” a song that truly uplifts the spirit and gathers us together as family. Tom Booth offers a fresh contemporary arrangement. And remember, we always have the option to sing both the Entrance Antiphon AND the Entrance hymn, as modeled each year at the Pope’s Midnight Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, where choir and congregation sing a Christmas carol together while the Holy Father processes down the main aisle with all the ministers. Then, while he incenses the altar, the choir chants the Entrance Antiphon.
Responsorial Psalm For Ever I Will Sing the Goodness of the Lord (Tom Booth)
Spirit & Psalm 2026: p. 36
Tom Booth’s verbatim setting of Psalm 89 captures the joy of our Vigil celebration.
Gospel Acclamation Alleluia: Mass of Renewal (Curtis Stephan)
Spirit & Psalm 2026: p. 38
This acclamation is a true Vigil text as it looks forward to the celebration of the Savior’s birth.
Presentation and Preparation of the Gifts We Adore (Sarah Hart and Scott Krippane)
Spirit & Song #152
This touching contemporary Christmas song calls us to adore the newborn Son of God in wonder and awe.
Christmas Vigil Communion Antiphon The Glory of the Lord Will Be Revealed (Steve Angrisano, Sarah Hart, Curtis Stephan)
Let Us All Rejoice #15
The prophet Isaiah offers rich poetry for the antiphons and readings of the Christmas season.
Communion Chant Silent Night (Joseph Mohr and Franz X. Gruber; arr. by Tom Booth)
Spirit & Song #154; Never Too Young #163; Breaking Bread 2026 #84
This beloved carol is truly a “must sing” for Christmas Eve liturgies. Breaking Bread features verses in English, Spanish and the original German, for a lovely multilingual presentation.
Song of Praise Love Has Captured the Night (Josh Blakesley and Grae McCullough)
Spirit & Song #148
A packed church may require the singing of additional songs for Communion. This contemporary carol by Josh Blakesley and Grae McCullough has already become a Christmas favorite.
Sending Forth Joy to the World (Traditional; arr. by Dean Baskerville)
Spirit & Song #147; Never Too Young #161; Breaking Bread 2026 #90
Handel’s scale-driven melody is unmatched as a proclamation of Christmas joy. Dean Baskerville offers a modern vibe that will appeal to the young and young at heart.
Liturgy Blog is a weekly liturgy planning resource for musicians, liturgists, homilists, youth groups, faith sharing groups, and all who look to the liturgical readings for inspiration and nourishment. Join Ken Canedo as he breaks open the Scripture and suggests tracks from the Spirit & Song contemporary repertoire.
If you want to use songs that are not in any of the books you have, you can license the songs through ONE LICENSE. Paying for the usage of songs will ensure the Church will have quality songs for years to come.