Gospel for December 25, 2020 – Christmas
NARRATOR 1: In those days Caesar Augustus published a decree ordering a census of the whole world. This first census took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to register, each in his own town. And so Joseph, too, went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, for he was of the house and lineage of David, to register with Mary, his espoused wife, who was pregnant.
NARRATOR 2: It happened while they were there that the days of her pregnancy were completed. She gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
NARRATOR 3: There were shepherds in the same area, living in the fields and keeping night watch over their flock. An angel of the Lord came suddenly upon them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were very much afraid.
ANGEL: You have nothing to fear! I bring you good news, a great joy to be shared by the whole people. For this day in David’s city a savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord. Let this be a sign to you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger.
NARRATOR 1: Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God.
ALL: Glory to God in high heaven; on earth peace to those on whom God’s favor rests.
NARRATOR 2: When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another—
SHEPHERDS: Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.
NARRATOR 3: So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told to them.
Luke 2.1-20