Second Sunday of Advent
Psalmody
PSALMODY
Ant. 1 Zion is our mighty citadel, our saving Lord its wall and its defense; throw open the gates, for our God is here among us, alleluia.
Psalm 118
Song of joy for salvation
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, *
for his love endures forever.
Let the sons of Israel say: *
“His love endures for ever.”
Let the sons of Aaron say: *
“His love endures for ever.”
Let those who fear the Lord say: *
“His love endures for ever.”
I called to the Lord in my distress; *
he answered and freed me.
The Lord is at my side; I do not fear. *
What can man do against me?
The Lord is at my side as my helper: *
I shall look down on my foes.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord *
than to trust in men:
it is better to take refuge in the Lord *
than to trust in princes.
The nations all encompassed me; *
in the Lord’s name I crushed them.
They compassed me, compassed me about; *
in the Lord’s name I crushed them.
They compassed me about like bees; †
they blazed like a fire among thorns. *
In the Lord’s name I crushed them.
I was hard-pressed and was falling *
but the Lord came to help me.
The Lord is my strength and my song; *
he is my savior.
There are shouts of joy and victory *
in the tents of the just.
The Lord’s right hand has triumphed; *
his right hand raised me.
The Lord’s right hand has triumphed; †
I shall not die, I shall live *
and recount his deeds.
I was punished, I was punished by the Lord, *
but not doomed to die.
Open to me the gates of holiness: *
I will enter and give thanks.
This is the Lord’s own gate *
where the just may enter.
I will thank you for you have answered *
and you are my savior.
The stone which the builders rejected *
has become the corner stone.
This is the work of the Lord, *
a marvel in our eyes.
This day was made by the Lord; *
we rejoice and are glad.
O Lord, grant us salvation; *
O Lord, grant success.
Blessed in the name of the Lord *
is he who comes.
We bless you from the house of the Lord; *
the Lord God is our light.
Go forward in procession with branches *
even to the altar.
You are my God, I thank you. *
My God, I praise you.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; *
for his love endures for ever.
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.
Psalm Prayer
Lord God, you have given us the great day of rejoicing: Jesus Christ, the stone rejected by the builders, has become the cornerstone of the Church, our spiritual home. Shed upon your Church the rays of your glory, that it may be seen as the gate of salvation open to all nations. Let cries of joy and exultation ring out from its tents, to celebrate the wonder of Christ’s resurrection.
Ant. Zion is our mighty citadel, our saving Lord its wall and its defense; throw open the gates, for our God is here among us, alleluia.
Ant. 2 Come to the waters, all you who thirst; seek the Lord while he can be found, alleluia.
Canticle: Daniel 3:52-57
Let all creatures praise the Lord
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, *
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name, *
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, *
praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.
Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, *
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
Blessed are you who look into the depths †
from your throne upon the cherubim, *
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, *
praiseworthy and glorious forever.
Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, *
praise and exalt him above all forever.
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. Come to the waters, all you who thirst; seek the Lord while he can be found, alleluia.
Ant. 3 Our God will come with great power to enlighten the eyes of his servants, alleluia.
Psalm 150
Praise the Lord
Praise God in his holy place, *
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his powerful deeds, *
praise his surpassing greatness.
O praise him with sound of trumpet, *
praise him with lute and harp.
Praise him with timbrel and dance, *
praise him with strings and pipes.
O praise him with resounding cymbals, *
praise him with clashing of cymbals.
Let everything that lives and that breathes *
give praise to the Lord.
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.
Psalm Prayer
Lord God, maker of heaven and earth and of all created things, you make your just ones holy and you justify sinners who confess your name. Hear us as we humbly pray to you: give us eternal joy with your saints.
Ant. Our God will come with great power to enlighten the eyes of his servants, alleluia.
1st Reading
Bar 5:1-9
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Baruch
Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery;
put on the splendor of glory from God forever:
wrapped in the cloak of justice from God,
bear on your head the mitre
that displays the glory of the eternal name.
For God will show all the earth your splendor:
you will be named by God forever
the peace of justice, the glory of God’s worship.
Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights;
look to the east and see your children
gathered from the east and the west
at the word of the Holy One,
rejoicing that they are remembered by God.
Led away on foot by their enemies they left you:
but God will bring them back to you
borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones.
For God has commanded
that every lofty mountain be made low,
and that the age-old depths and gorges
be filled to level ground,
that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.
The forests and every fragrant kind of tree
have overshadowed Israel at God’s command;
for God is leading Israel in joy
by the light of his glory,
with his mercy and justice for company.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm
℟. (3) The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
℟. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
℟. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those who sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
℟. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
they shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
℟. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
2nd Reading
Phil 1:4-6, 8-11
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians
Brothers and sisters:
I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,
because of your partnership for the gospel
from the first day until now.
I am confident of this,
that the one who began a good work in you
will continue to complete it
until the day of Christ Jesus.
God is my witness,
how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer:
that your love may increase ever more and more
in knowledge and every kind of perception,
to discern what is of value,
so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness
that comes through Jesus Christ
for the glory and praise of God.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Gospel
Lk 3:1-6
✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,
and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis,
and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
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.
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.
O come, o come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel!
O come, O wisdom from on high who ordered all things mightily
to us the path of knowledge show and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel!
O come, Thou dayspring from on high, and cheer us by your drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadow put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel!
Dan Schutte, SJ
Holy, holy, holy
Lord God of Hosts.
Heaven and Earth are full,
are full of Your glory.
Hosanna, hosanna,
hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes,
who comes in the
name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna,
hosanna in the highest.
Dan Schutte, SJ
When we eat this Bread
and drink this Cup,
we proclaim your Death,
O Lord, until you come again.
until you come again.
Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our
daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors;
and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us
from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
and the power and the glory
forever. Amen.
Dan Schutte, SJ
Lamb of God, you take away
the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away
the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away
the sins of the world,
grant us peace.
Gospel Canticle
Ant. I am sending my angel before me to prepare the way for my coming.
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. I am sending my angel before me to prepare the way for my coming.
The King shall come when
morning dawns and light
triumphant breaks, when
beauty gilds the eastern hills
and life to joy awakes.
Not as of old a little child,
to bear and fight and die,
but crowned with glory like the
sun that lights the morning sky.
O, brighter than the
rising morn when Christ,
victorious, rose and left the
lonesome place of death
despite the rage of foes.
O, brighter than that
glorious morn shall dawn
upon our race the day when
Christ in splendor comes
and we shall see His face.
The King shall come when
morning dawns and light
and beauty brings.
Hail, Christ the Lord!
Your people pray:
Come quickly, King of Kings.
Proclaim the joyful message that our God
is coming to earth.
Let the valleys be filled and the mountains made low
preparing for His holy birth.
He will come in the spirit of wisdom, to bring the world justice and right.
The poor and the lowly
will know him, for the
Lord will be their light.
Proclaim the joyful message that our God
is coming to earth.
Let the valleys be filled and the mountains made low
preparing for His holy birth.
Soon God’s creatures
will all live together.
The wolf will be guest
of the lamb.
The calf will walk next to the lion
and be led by the child’s hand.
Proclaim the joyful message that our God
is coming to earth.
Let the valleys be filled and the mountains made low
preparing for His holy birth.
Soon the mountain of God
will be holy, all war and destruction will cease.
The earth will be filled with
the wisdom of the coming
Prince of Peace.
Proclaim the joyful message that our God
is coming to earth.
Let the valleys be filled and the mountains made low
preparing for His holy birth.