Responsorial Psalm

℟. (cf. 9) The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.

Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
   with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
   sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.

℟. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.

Let the sea and what fills it resound,
   the world and those who dwell in it;
let the rivers clap their hands,
   the mountains shout with them for joy.

℟. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.

Before the LORD, for he comes,
   for he comes to rule the earth,
He will rule the world with justice
   and the peoples with equity.

℟. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.

2nd Reading

2 Thes 3:7-12

A reading from the second Letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians

Brothers and sisters:
You know how one must imitate us.
For we did not act in a disorderly way among you,
   nor did we eat food received free from anyone.
On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day
   we worked, so as not to burden any of you.
Not that we do not have the right.
Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you,
   so that you might imitate us.
In fact, when we were with you,
   we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work,
   neither should that one eat.
We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way,
   by not keeping busy but minding the business of others.
Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly
   and to eat their own food.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 21:5-19

✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

While some people were speaking about
   how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, “All that you see here—
   the days will come when there will not be left
   a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”

Then they asked him,
   “Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”
He answered,
“"See that you not be deceived,
   for many will come in my name, saying,
   ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
   do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
   but it will not immediately be the end."”
Then he said to them,
   “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
   from place to place;
   and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.

“Before all this happens, however,
   they will seize and persecute you,
   they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
   and they will have you led before kings and governors
   because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
   for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
   that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends,
   and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
   but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

At the end of the Gospel, the Deacon, or the Priest, acclaims:

The Gospel of the Lord.

All reply:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Then he kisses the book, saying quietly:

Through the words of the Gospel
may our sins be wiped away.

The Creed is said.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

Nicene Creed

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.

God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.

For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of
the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake he was crucified
under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right
hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the
Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in One, Holy,
Catholic and Apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism
for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to
the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

Gospel Canticle

Ant. They will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great glory and majesty.

Canticle of Zechariah
Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed + be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old †
  that he would save us from our enemies, *
  from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
   all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.


Ant. They will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great glory and majesty.