Advent: Come Lord JEsus
The First Sunday in Advent
The Second Sunday in Advent
The Second Sunday in Advent
THE INTROIT: Psalm 25
Unto thee, O Lord, will lift up my soul : my God, I have put my trust in thee, O let me not be confounded : neither let mine enemies triumph over me : for all they that hope in thee shall not be ashamed. Ps. Ibid. Shew me thy ways, O Lord : and teach me thy paths. GLORY BE…
THE COLLECT:
Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son, Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility : that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead ; we may rise to the life immortal. Through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
O God, who didst ordain that thy Word should be made flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the message of an Angel : grant to us thy humble servants ; that we, believing her to be indeed the Mother of God, may be aided by her intercessions before thee.
We beseech thee, O Lord, favorably to receive the prayers of thy Church : that all adversity and error being done away, she may serve thee in untroubled freedom. Through Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
THE EPISTLE: Romans 13:8
Brethren. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying: But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
THE GRADUAL: Psalm 25
For all they that look for thee shall not be ashamed, O Lord. Make known to me thy ways, O Lord : and teach me thy paths.Alleluia, alleluia. Psalm 85. Shew us thy mercy, O Lord : and grant us thy salvation. Alleluia.
THE HOLY GOSPEL: Saint Matthew 21:1
At that time: When they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
THE OFFERTORY: Psalm 25
Unto thee, O Lord, will I lift up my soul : my God, I have put my trust in thee, O let me not be confounded : neither let mine enemies triumph over me : for all they that hope in thee shall not be ashamed.
THE COMMUNION: Psalm 86
The Lord shall shew lovingkindness : and our land shall give her increase.
THE POST-COMMUNION:
We wait for thy mercy, O Lord, in the mist of thy Temple : that so we may with due reverence prepare for the approaching festival of our redemption. Through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts : that as we have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an Angel, so by his cross and passion we may be brought to the glory of his resurrection.
Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord our God : that we whom thou hast made partakers of heavenly gladness, may be thee be defended from all earthly perils. Through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen
THE ADVENT PROPHECY: Jeremiah 31:31-34
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
THE ADVENT WREATH
One of the most beautiful traditions of Advent is the lighting of The Advent Wreath; the purpose of which is to deepen your understanding of Christmas as the Church prepares you once again to go in heart and mind unto Bethlehem to see the loving-kindness of our God. As time passes from Advent Sunday to the Vigil of Christmas, the wreath grows in the brightness of illumination – symbolic of the coming of Christ who is the light of the world. The prophecies that are read with the lighting of the Advent Wreath, help you to relate to the people of the Old Testament who waited in anticipation for the coming day of the Lord, as the mystery of the Incarnation was unfolded before them by the Lord’s prophets through the centuries who prepared the way for His Coming. Only as you understand the message of the Old Testament, do you come to appreciate the fact of the incarnation of Christ: that the Second Person of the Godhead humbled Himself to take our nature upon Himself in every way – sin being the only exception. Christ became man in order that He might offer Himself upon Calvary’s Cross before His Father in heaven for the sins of the world.
The use of evergreens symbolizes the life that is everlasting by faith in Christ. The bending of the branch so that the ends touch further symbolize that life in Christ is without end because Christ Himself is from everlasting: the same, yesterday, today, and forever. The candles are symbolic of the coming into the world of God’s Son. The first candle, The Prophecy Candle, announces the period of waiting upon God for the fulfillment of His promise. The second candle is The Bethlehem Candle and is symbolic of the preparations being made to cradle the Christ Child. The third candle is The Shepherd Candle and typifies the act of worshipping Christ. The fourth candle is The Angel’s Candle and encourages the forth-telling of the Good News to the world.
The Second Sunday in Advent
The Second Sunday in Advent
The Second Sunday in Advent
THE INTROIT: Isaiah 30
O people of Sion, behold, the Lord is nigh at hand to redeem the nations : and in the gladness of your heart the Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard. Psalm 80. Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel : thous that leadest Joseph like a sheep. GLORY BE…
THE COLLECT:
Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son, Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility : that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead ; we may rise to the life immortal.
O God, who didst ordain that thy Word should be made flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the message of an Angel : grant to us thy humble servants ; that we, believing her to be indeed the Mother of God, may be aided by her intercessions before thee. Through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
THE EPISTLE: Romans 15:4
Brethren: For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
THE GRADUAL: Psalm 50
Out of Sion hath God appeared : in perfect beauty. Gather my saints together unto me : those that have made a covenant with me with sacrifice.Alleluia, alleluia. Psalm 122. I was glad when they said unto me : we will go unto the house of the Lord. Alleluia.
THE HOLY GOSPEL: Saint Luke 21:25
At that time ; Jesus said unto his disciples : And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Mens hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away; but my words shall not pass away.
THE OFFERTORY:Psalm 85
Wilt thou not turn again, O God, and quicken us, that thy people may rejoice in thee : shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation.
THE COMMUNION: Baruch 4 & 5.
Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand on high, and behold the joy that cometh unto thee from thy God.
THE POST-COMMUNION:
O Lord, who hast vouchsafed to satisfy us with heavenly sustenance : we humbly beseech thee ; that we, whom thou hast made partakers of thy holy mysteries, may learn therein to despise all things earthly, and to cleave stedfastly unto all things heavenly. Through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
We wait for thy mercy, O Lord, in the midst of thy Temple : that so we may with due reverence prepare for the approaching festival of our redemption.
We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts : that as we have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by his cross and passion we may be brought unto the glory of his resurrection. Through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
THE ADVENT PROPHECY: Isaiah 40:1-8
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lords hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
THE ADVENT WREATH
One of the most beautiful traditions of Advent is the lighting of The Advent Wreath; the purpose of which is to deepen your understanding of Christmas as the Church prepares you once again to go in heart and mind unto Bethlehem to see the loving-kindness of our God. As time passes from Advent Sunday to the Vigil of Christmas, the wreath grows in the brightness of illumination – symbolic of the coming of Christ who is the light of the world. The prophecies that are read with the lighting of the Advent Wreath, help you to relate to the people of the Old Testament who waited in anticipation for the coming day of the Lord, as the mystery of the Incarnation was unfolded before them by the Lord’s prophets through the centuries who prepared the way for His Coming. Only as you understand the message of the Old Testament, do you come to appreciate the fact of the incarnation of Christ: that the Second Person of the Godhead humbled Himself to take our nature upon Himself in every way – sin being the only exception. Christ became man in order that He might offer Himself upon Calvary’s Cross before His Father in heaven for the sins of the world.
The use of evergreens symbolizes the life that is everlasting by faith in Christ. The bending of the branch so that the ends touch further symbolize that life in Christ is without end because Christ Himself is from everlasting: the same, yesterday, today, and forever. The candles are symbolic of the coming into the world of God’s Son. The first candle, The Prophecy Candle, announces the period of waiting upon God for the fulfillment of His promise. The second candle is The Bethlehem Candle and is symbolic of the preparations being made to cradle the Christ Child. The third candle is The Shepherd Candle and typifies the act of worshipping Christ. The fourth candle is The Angel’s Candle and encourages the forth-telling of the Good News to the world.
The Third Sunday in Advent (Gaudette Sunday)
The Third Sunday in Advent (Gaudette Sunday)
The Third Sunday in Advent (Gaudette Sunday)
THE INTROIT: Philippians 4
Rejoice in the Lord alway : and again I say, Rejoice ye ; let your moderation be known unto all men, the Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing, nor troubled; but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving; let your request be made known unto God. Psalm 85. Lord, thou art become gracious unto thy land : thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob. GLORY BE…
THE COLLECT:
O LORD Jesu Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare the way before thee: Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son, Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility : that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead ; we may rise to the life immortal.
O God, who didst ordain that thy Word should be made flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the message of an Angel : grant to us thy humble servants ; that we, believing her to be indeed the Mother of God, may be aided by her intercessions before thee. Through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
THE EPISTLE: 1 Cor. 4. 1
Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of mans judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
THE GRADUAL: Psalm 80
Shew thyself, O Lord, thou that sittest upon the Cherubims : stir up thy strength and come. V. Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel : thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep. Alleluia, alleluia. Stir up thy strength, O Lord : and come and help us. Alleluia.
THE HOLY GOSPEL: Saint Matthew 11:2
Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
THE OFFERTORY: Psalm 85
O Lord, thou art become gracious unto thy land; thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob : thou hast forgiven the offence of thy people.
THE COMMUNION: Isaiah 35
Say to them that are of a fearful heart : Be strong, fear not : behold your God will come and save you.
THE POST-COMMUNION:
Have mercy upon us, O Lord, we beseech thee : and grant that the heavenly assistance of thy holy mysteries may so cleanse us from all our inquiries, that we may be made ready worthily to keep thy coming festival. Through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
We wait for thy mercy, O Lord, in the mist of thy Temple : that so we may with due reverence prepare for the approaching festival of our redemption.
We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts : that as we have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by his cross and passion we may be brought unto the glory of his resurrection. Through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
THE ADVENT PROPHECY: Malachi 3:1-6
BEHOLD, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiners fire, and like fullers soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts. For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
THE ADVENT WREATH
One of the most beautiful traditions of Advent is the lighting of The Advent Wreath; the purpose of which is to deepen your understanding of Christmas as the Church prepares you once again to go in heart and mind unto Bethlehem to see the loving-kindness of our God. As time passes from Advent Sunday to the Vigil of Christmas, the wreath grows in the brightness of illumination – symbolic of the coming of Christ who is the light of the world. The prophecies that are read with the lighting of the Advent Wreath, help you to relate to the people of the Old Testament who waited in anticipation for the coming day of the Lord, as the mystery of the Incarnation was unfolded before them by the Lord’s prophets through the centuries who prepared the way for His Coming.
Only as you understand the message of the Old Testament, do you come to appreciate the fact of the incarnation of Christ: that the Second Person of the Godhead humbled Himself to take our nature upon Himself in every way – sin being the only exception. Christ became man in order that He might offer Himself upon Calvary’s Cross before His Father in heaven for the sins of the world.
The use of evergreens symbolizes the life that is everlasting by faith in Christ. The bending of the branch so that the ends touch further symbolize that life in Christ is without end because Christ Himself is from everlasting: the same, yesterday, today, and forever. The candles are symbolic of the coming into the world of God’s Son. The first candle, The Prophecy Candle, announces the period of waiting upon God for the fulfillment of His promise. The second candle is The Bethlehem Candle and is symbolic of the preparations being made to cradle the Christ Child. The third candle is The Shepherd Candle and typifies the act of worshipping Christ. The fourth candle is The Angel’s Candle and encourages the forth-telling of the Good News to the world.
The Fourth Sunday in Advent
The Third Sunday in Advent (Gaudette Sunday)
The Third Sunday in Advent (Gaudette Sunday)
THE INTROIT: Isaiah 45
Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness : let the earth open and bring forth a Saviour. Psalm 19. The heavens declare the glory of God : and the firmament sheweth his handy-work. GLORY BE…
THE COLLECT:
O Lord, raise up, we pray thee, thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us ; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us. Through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Almighty God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son, Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility : that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead ; we may rise to the life immortal. O God, who didst ordain that thy Word should be made flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the message of an Angel : grant to us thy humble servants ; that we, believing her to be indeed the Mother of God, may be aided by her intercessions before thee. Through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
THE ADVENT PROPHECY: Malachi 4:1-6
FOR, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
THE EPISTLE: Philippians 4:4
Brethren: Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus our Lord.
THE GRADUAL: Psalm 145. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him : yea, all such as call upon him faithfully. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord : and let all flesh give thanks unto his holy name.Alleluia, alleluia. Come, O Lord, and tarry not : forgive the misdeeds of thy people. Alleluia.
THE HOLY GOSPEL: Saint John 1:19
This is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoes latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
THE OFFERTORY: Saint Luke 1
Hail Mary, full of grace : the Lord is with thee : blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
THE COMMUNION: Isaiah 7
Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son : and his Name shall be called Emmanuel
THE POST-COMMUNION:
We beseech thee, O Lord : that as we have now received thy gifts, so by continually drawing near to thy mystery we may set forward the work of our salvation. Through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. We wait for thy mercy, O Lord, in the mist of thy Temple : that so we may with due reverence prepare for the approaching festival of our redemption. We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts : that as we have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by his cross and passion we may be brought unto the glory of his resurrection. Through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
THE ADVENT PROPHECY: Malachi 4:1-6
FOR, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
THE ADVENT WREATH
One of the most beautiful traditions of Advent is the lighting of The Advent Wreath; the purpose of which is to deepen your understanding of Christmas as the Church prepares you once again to go in heart and mind unto Bethlehem to see the loving-kindness of our God. As time passes from Advent Sunday to the Vigil of Christmas, the wreath grows in the brightness of illumination – symbolic of the coming of Christ who is the light of the world. The prophecies that are read with the lighting of the Advent Wreath, help you to relate to the people of the Old Testament who waited in anticipation for the coming day of the Lord, as the mystery of the Incarnation was unfolded before them by the Lord’s prophets through the centuries who prepared the way for His Coming.
Only as you understand the message of the Old Testament, do you come to appreciate the fact of the incarnation of Christ: that the Second Person of the Godhead humbled Himself to take our nature upon Himself in every way – sin being the only exception. Christ became man in order that He might offer Himself upon Calvary’s Cross before His Father in heaven for the sins of the world.
The use of evergreens symbolizes the life that is everlasting by faith in Christ. The bending of the branch so that the ends touch further symbolize that life in Christ is without end because Christ Himself is from everlasting: the same, yesterday, today, and forever.
The candles are symbolic of the coming into the world of God’s Son. The first candle, The Prophecy Candle, announces the period of waiting upon God for the fulfillment of His promise. The second candle is The Bethlehem Candle and is symbolic of the preparations being made to cradle the Christ Child. The third candle is The Shepherd Candle and typifies the act of worshipping Christ. The fourth candle is The Angel’s Candle and encourages the forth-telling of the Good News to the world.
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