Fourth Sunday of Advent

Sts. Abraham, Isaac & Jacob

Feast Day of St. Domic of Silos and Sts. Abraham, Isaac & Jacob

Collect

Excita, quaesumus, Domine, potentiam tuam, et veni: et magna nobis virtute succurre: ut per auxilium gratiae tuae, quod nostra peccata praepediunt, indulgentia tuae propitiationis acceleret: Qui vivis et regnas.

O Lord, we beseech Thee, stir up Thy power, and come, and with great might succor us: that by the help of Thy grace that which is hindered by our sins may be hastened by Thy merciful forgiveness: Who livest and reignest.

Gospel (Lk. 3:1-6)

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea and the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilina, under the high priests Annas and Caiphas; the word of the Lord was made unto John, the son of Zachary, in the desert.  And he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sins, as it was written in the book of the sayings of Isaias the Prophet: A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight His paths: every valley shall be filled; and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight; and the rough ways plain; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

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Third Sunday of Advent

St. Lucy

December 13 – Third Sunday of Advent, Feast Day of St. Lucy

On this day the Church urges us to gladness in the middle of this time of expectation and penance.  The coming of Jesus approaches more and more.  St. John, the holy precursor, announces to the Jews the coming of the Savior.  “The Savior,” he says to them, “lives already among us, though unknown.  He will soon appear openly.”  Now is the time for fervent prayers and for imploring Jesus to remain with us by His mercy.  Let us prepare the way for Him by repentance and penance and by a worthy reception of the Sacraments.  All the prayers of this Mass are filled with what the Church wishes our souls to possess at the approach of the Savior.

Aurem tuam quasumus, Domine, precibus nostris accommoda: et mentis nostrae tenebras, gratia tuae visitationis illustra: Qui vivis et regnas.

Incline Thine ear, we beseech Thee, O Lord, to our petitions: and, by the grace of Thy visitation, enlighten the darkness of our minds: Who livest and reignest.

Epistle (Phil. 4:4-7)

“The Lord is nigh” says St. Paul, “rejoice in the Lord.”  May our faith and hope in Jesus Christ our Lord always increase!

Brethren, rejoice in the Lord always: again, I say, rejoice.  Let you modesty be known to all men.  The Lord is nigh.  Be nothing solicitous: but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gospel (Jn. 1:19-28)

St. John, the Precursor of our Lord, announces the coming of the Messias, tells of His Majesty and greatness, and effaces himself before Him, for “he gives testimony of the true Light, Who is Jesus.”

At that time the Jews sent from Jerusalem Priests and Levites to John, to ask him: Who art thou?  And he confessed, and did not deny: and he confessed: I am not the Christ.  And they asked him: What then?  Art thou Elias?  And he said: I am not.  Art thou the prophet?  And he answered: No.  They said therefore 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 out in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaias.  And they that were sent, were of the Pharisees.  And they asked him, and said to him: Why then dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet?  John answered them, saying: I baptize with water; but there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not.  The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred before me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose.  These things were done in Bethania, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

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