Christmas Eve…all the hopes and desires of our hearts are summed up on this Night of Nights as we ponder anew the miracle that God became Man and chose to dwell in our midst. The traditional hour of our Lord’s birth was thought to be midnight, and the Night Mass – Missam in Nocte – begins with the Introit Dominus dixit ad me. The text is taken from Psalm 2:7 – The Lord said to me, thou art my Son;  this day have I begotten thee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This ancient text, paired with a  simple Mode 2 melody, takes on new meaning in the midnight hours of Christmas.  These words are spoken by the newborn Babe, revealing the tender love that exists between Father and Son.  Special emphasis is given to the word meusor “my”.

In the bleak, cold hours of the night, we ponder this love between Father and Son, and realize that here lies the answer to all our questions and longings.