Sunday 8 December 2019
2nd Sunday of Advent
Office of Readings
(combined with Lauds)
This is the Office of Readings joined to another Hour, as described in §99 of the General Instruction. To see the Office of Readings on its own, use the menu button on the right.
Introduction (without Invitatory)
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, use the version with the Invitatory Psalm instead.
O God, come to our aid.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
________
Hymn
Hark! a herald voice is calling
Through the shadows of the night
‘Cast away the dreams of darkness
Christ descends with heavenly light.’
Wakened by the solemn warning,
Let the earthbound soul arise;
Christ, her sun, all sloth dispelling,
Shines upon the morning skies.
Lo, the Lamb, so long expected,
Comes with pardon down from heav’n;
Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,
One and all to be forgiv’n;
So, when next he comes with glory,
And his judgement-day draws near,
Faithful he may find his servants,
Watching till their Lord appear.
Honour, glory, might, and blessing
To the Father and the Son,
With the everlasting Spirit,
While eternal ages run.
________
Psalm 103 (104)
Hymn to God the Creator
“For everyone who is in Christ there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here” (2 Cor 5:17).
Behold, the heavenly king will come with power and great glory to save the nations. Alleluia.
Bléss the Lórd, my sóul! *
Lord Gód, how gréat you áre,
clóthed in májesty and glóry, *
wrápped in líght as in a róbe!
You strétch out the héavens like a tént. *
Above the ráins you búild your dwélling.
You máke the clóuds your cháriot, *
you wálk on the wíngs of the wínd,
you máke the wínds your méssengers *
and fláshing fíre your sérvant.
You fóunded the éarth on its báse, *
to stand fírm from áge to áge.
You wrápped it with the ócean like a clóak: *
the wáters stood hígher than the móuntains.
At your thréat they tóok to flíght; *
at the vóice of your thúnder they fléd.
They róse over the móuntains and flowed dówn *
to the pláce which yóu had appóinted.
You set límits they míght not páss *
lest they retúrn to cóver the éarth.
You make spríngs gush fórth in the válleys; *
they flów in betwéen the hílls.
They give drínk to all the béasts of the fíeld; *
the wíld-asses quénch their thírst.
On their bánks dwell the bírds of héaven; *
from the bránches they síng their sóng.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Behold, the heavenly king will come with power and great glory to save the nations. Alleluia.
________
Psalm 103 (104)
Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your king is coming to you. Sion, do not be afraid: your salvation is at hand.
From your dwélling you wáter the hílls; *
éarth drinks its fíll of your gíft.
You máke the grass grów for the cáttle *
and the plánts to sérve man’s néeds,
that he may bríng forth bréad from the éarth *
and wíne to chéer man’s héart;
óil, to máke his face shíne *
and bréad to stréngthen man’s héart.
The trées of the Lórd drink their fíll, *
the cédars he plánted on Lébanon;
thére the bírds build their nésts; *
on the trée-top the stórk has her hóme.
The góats find a hóme on the móuntains *
and rábbits híde in the rócks.
You made the móon to márk the mónths; *
the sún knows the tíme for its sétting.
When you spréad the dárkness it is níght *
and all the béasts of the fórest creep fórth.
The young líons róar for their préy *
and ásk their fóod from Gód.
At the rísing of the sún they steal awáy *
and gó to rést in their déns.
Mán goes fórth to his wórk, *
to lábour till évening fálls.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your king is coming to you. Sion, do not be afraid: your salvation is at hand.
________
Psalm 103 (104)
When the great King comes, the hearts of men will be made pure and we shall be made worthy to meet him. Behold, he is coming: he will not delay.
How mány are your wórks, O Lórd! †
In wísdom you have máde them áll. *
The éarth is fúll of your ríches.
Thére is the séa, vast and wíde, †
with its móving swárms past cóunting, *
líving things gréat and smáll.
The shíps are móving thére *
and the mónsters you máde to pláy with.
Áll of thése look to yóu *
to gíve them their fóod in due séason.
You gíve it, they gáther it úp: *
you ópen your hánd, they have their fíll.
You híde your fáce, they are dismáyed; †
you táke back your spírit, they díe, *
retúrning to the dúst from which they cáme.
You sénd forth your spírit, they are creáted; *
and you renéw the fáce of the éarth.
May the glóry of the Lórd last for éver! *
May the Lórd rejóice in his wórks!
He lóoks on the éarth and it trémbles; *
the móuntains send forth smóke at his tóuch.
I will síng to the Lórd all my lífe, *
make músic to my Gód while I líve.
May my thóughts be pléasing to hím. *
I fínd my jóy in the Lórd.
Let sínners vánish from the éarth *
and the wícked exíst no móre.
Bléss the Lórd, my sóul.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
When the great King comes, the hearts of men will be made pure and we shall be made worthy to meet him. Behold, he is coming: he will not delay.
Psalm-prayer
Father, as you made springs in valleys to form streams between mountains, so you made living streams of grace flow from the apostles that their teaching may bring salvation to all nations. May we have a practical knowledge of their doctrine, be obedient to their commands, obtain remission of sins through their prayers, and finally receive the reward of eternal happiness.
Or:
God of all life, light, and love, through the visible things of this world you raise our thoughts to things unseen, and you show us your power and your love. From your dwelling place refresh our hearts and renew the face of the earth with the life-giving water of your word, until the new heaven and new earth resound with the song of resurrection.
________
℣. Lift up your heads and see.
℟. Your redemption is at hand.
________
First Reading
Isaiah 22:8-23
Against the arrogance of Jerusalem
You turned your gaze that day
to the armoury of the House of the Forest.
You saw how many breaches there were
in the Citadel of David.
You collected the waters
of the lower pool.
You counted
the houses of Jerusalem,
and you pulled down houses
to strengthen the wall.
In the middle you made a reservoir between the two walls
for the waters of the old pool.
But you had no thought for the Maker,
no eyes for him who shaped everything long ago.
The Lord, the Lord of Hosts, called you
that day to weep and mourn,
to shave your heads, to put on sackcloth;
instead, there is joy and amusement,
killing of oxen, slaughtering of sheep,
eating of meat, drinking of wine,
‘Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we may be dead.’
My ears have had this revelation
from the Lord of Hosts:
‘Most certainly this sin will not be atoned for,
until you die’
says the Lord, the Lord of Hosts.
Thus says the Lord, the Lord of Hosts:
Now go to this steward,
to Shebna, the master of the palace,
who is hewing a tomb for himself high up,
carving out a room for himself in the rock,
‘What right have you here, and what relatives have you here
for you to hew yourself a tomb in this place?
See, the Lord hurls you down,
down with a single throw;
then with a strong grip he grips you,
and he winds you up into a ball
and hurls you into an immense country.
There you will die,
and there will be sent the chariots you were so proud of,
you, the disgrace of your master’s palace.’
I dismiss you from your office,
I remove you from your post,
and the same day I call on my servant
Eliakim son of Hilkiah.
I invest him with your robe,
gird him with your sash,
entrust him with your authority;
and he shall be a father
to the inhabitants of Jerusalem
and to the House of Judah.
I place the key of the House of David
on his shoulder;
should he open, no one shall close,
should he close, no one shall open.
I drive him like a peg
into a firm place;
he will become a throne of glory
for his father’s house.
Responsory
Rv 3:7-8
℟. This is the message from the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David:* See, I have opened a door before you, which no-one can close.
℣. You have followed my teaching and been faithful to me.* See, I have opened a door before you, which no-one can close.
________
Second Reading
A commentary on Isaiah by Eusebius of Caesarea
A voice of one crying in the wilderness
The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God. The prophecy makes clear that it is to be fulfilled, not in Jerusalem but in the wilderness: it is there that the glory of the Lord is to appear, and God’s salvation is to be made known to all mankind.
It was in the wilderness that God’s saving presence was proclaimed by John the Baptist, and there that God’s salvation was seen. The words of this prophecy were fulfilled when Christ and his glory were made manifest to all: after his baptism the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove rested on him, and the Father’s voice was heard, bearing witness to the Son: This is my beloved Son, listen to him.
The prophecy meant that God was to come to a deserted place, inaccessible from the beginning. None of the pagans had any knowledge of God, since his holy servants and prophets were kept from approaching them. The voice commands that a way be prepared for the Word of God: the rough and trackless ground is to be made level, so that our God may find a highway when he comes. Prepare the way of the Lord: the way is the preaching of the Gospel, the new message of consolation, ready to bring to all mankind the knowledge of God’s saving power.
Climb on a high mountain, bearer of good news to Zion. Lift up your voice in strength, bearer of good news to Jerusalem. These words harmonise very well with the meaning of what has gone before. They refer opportunely to the evangelists and proclaim the coming of God to men, after speaking of the voice crying in the wilderness. Mention of the evangelists suitably follows the prophecy on John the Baptist.
What does Zion mean if not the city previously called Jerusalem? This is the mountain referred to in that passage from Scripture: Here is mount Zion, where you dwelt. The Apostle says: You have come to mount Zion. Does not this refer to the company of the apostles, chosen from the former people of the circumcision?
This is the Zion, the Jerusalem, that received God’s salvation. It stands aloft on the mountain of God, that is, it is raised high on the only-begotten Word of God. It is commanded to climb the high mountain and announce the word of salvation. Who is the bearer of the good news but the company of the evangelists? What does it mean to bear the good news but to preach to all nations, but first of all to the cities of Judah, the coming of Christ on earth?
Responsory
℟. The precursor of the Lord is come. Jesus himself says of him:* Among those born of women, there has risen no-one greater than John the Baptist.
℣. He is a prophet, and much more than a prophet. The Saviour says of him:* Among those born of women, there has risen no-one greater than John the Baptist.
________
Vigils
If time allows, those who celebrate the Office of Readings of a Sunday (or solemnity, or feast of the Lord) on the evening before, or at the crack of dawn on the day itself, may enrich the celebration with three Old Testament canticles and a Gospel reading.
________
Hymn
Te Deum
We praise you, O God: *
we acclaim you as the Lord.
Everlasting Father, *
all the world bows down before you.
All the angels sing your praise, *
the hosts of heaven and all the angelic powers,
all the cherubim and seraphim *
call out to you in unending song:
Holy, Holy, Holy, *
is the Lord God of angel hosts!
The heavens and the earth are filled *
with your majesty and glory.
The glorious band of apostles, *
the noble company of prophets,
the white-robed army who shed their blood for Christ, *
all sing your praise.
And to the ends of the earth *
your holy Church proclaims her faith in you:
Father, whose majesty is boundless, *
your true and only Son, who is to be adored, *
the Holy Spirit sent to be our Advocate.
You, Christ, are the king of glory, *
Son of the eternal Father.
When you took our nature to save mankind *
you did not shrink from birth in the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the power of death *
opening the Father’s kingdom to all who believe in you.
Enthroned at God’s right hand in the glory of the Father, *
you will come in judgement according to your promise.
You redeemed your people by your precious blood. *
Come, we implore you, to our aid.
Grant us with the saints *
a place in eternal glory.
The final part of the hymn may be omitted:
Lord, save your people *
and bless your inheritance.
Rule them and uphold them *
for ever and ever.
Day by day we praise you: *
we acclaim you now and to all eternity.
In your goodness, Lord, keep us free from sin. *
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
May your mercy always be with us, Lord, *
for we have hoped in you.
In you, Lord, we put our trust: *
we shall not be put to shame.
________
Psalm 117 (118)
A cry of rejoicing and triumph
“This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the cornerstone” (Acts 4:11).
We have a strong city. The Saviour will set up wall and rampart to guard it: open the gates, for God is with us. Alleluia.
Give thánks to the Lórd for he is góod, *
for his lóve endures for éver.
Let the sóns of Ísrael sáy: *
‘His lóve endures for éver.’
Let the sóns of Áaron sáy: *
‘His lóve endures for éver.’
Let thóse who fear the Lórd sáy: *
‘His lóve endures for éver.’
I cálled to the Lórd in my distréss; *
he ánswered and fréed me.
The Lórd is at my síde; I do not féar. *
What can mán do agáinst me?
The Lórd is at my síde as my hélper; *
I shall look dówn on my fóes.
It is bétter to take réfuge in the Lórd *
than to trúst in mén;
it is bétter to take réfuge in the Lórd *
than to trúst in prínces.
The nátions áll encómpassed me; *
in the Lórd’s name I crúshed them.
They cómpassed me, cómpassed me abóut; *
in the Lórd’s name I crúshed them.
They cómpassed me abóut like bées; †
they blázed like a fíre among thórns. *
In the Lórd’s name I crúshed them.
I was hárd-préssed and was fálling, *
but the Lórd came to hélp me.
The Lórd is my stréngth and my sóng; *
hé is my sáviour.
There are shóuts of jóy and víctory *
in the ténts of the júst.
The Lórd’s right hánd has tríumphed; †
his ríght hand ráised me. *
The Lórd’s right hánd has tríumphed;
I shall not díe, I shall líve *
and recóunt his déeds.
I was púnished, I was púnished by the Lórd, *
but nót doomed to díe.
Ópen to mé the gates of hóliness: *
I will énter and give thánks.
This is the Lórd’s own gáte *
where the júst may énter.
I will thánk you for yóu have ánswered *
and yóu are my sáviour.
The stóne which the búilders rejécted *
has becóme the córner stone.
Thís is the wórk of the Lórd, *
a márvel in our éyes.
Thís day was máde by the Lórd; *
we rejóice and are glád.
O Lórd, gránt us salvátion; *
O Lórd, grant succéss.
Bléssed in the náme of the Lórd *
is hé who cómes.
We bléss you from the hóuse of the Lórd; *
the Lord Gód is our líght.
Go fórward in procéssion with bránches *
éven to the áltar.
Yóu are my Gód, I thánk you. *
My Gód, I práise you.
Give thánks to the Lórd for he is góod; *
for his lóve endures for éver.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
We have a strong city. The Saviour will set up wall and rampart to guard it: open the gates, for God is with us. Alleluia.
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 she may be seen as the gate of salvation open to all nations. Let cries of joy and exultation ring out from her tents, to celebrate the wonder of Christ’s resurrection.
________
Canticle
Daniel 3:52-57
Let every creature praise the Lord
“The Creator is blessed for ever” (Rom 1:25).
Come to the waters, all you who thirst: seek the Lord while he may be found. Alleluia.
You are blest, Lord God of our fathers. *
To you glory and praise for evermore.
Blest your glorious holy name. *
To you glory and praise for evermore.
You are blest in the temple of your glory. *
To you glory and praise for evermore.
You are blest who gaze into the depths. *
To you glory and praise for evermore.
You are blest in the firmament of heaven. *
To you glory and praise for evermore.
You who walk on the wings of the wind. *
To you glory and praise for evermore.
May they bless you, the saints and the angels. *
To you glory and praise for evermore.
From the heavens, the earth and the sea. *
To you glory and praise for evermore.
You are blest, Lord God of our fathers. *
To you glory and praise for evermore.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Come to the waters, all you who thirst: seek the Lord while he may be found. Alleluia.
________
Psalm 150
Praise the Lord
“Sing praise in your spirit, sing praise with your soul, that is: give glory to God in both your soul and your body” (Hesychius).
Behold, our Lord will come with strength and he will give light to the eyes of his servants. Alleluia.
Práise Gód in his hóly pláce, *
práise him in his míghty héavens.
Práise him for his pówerful déeds, *
práise his surpássing gréatness.
O práise him with sóund of trúmpet, *
práise him with lúte and hárp.
Práise him with tímbrel and dánce, *
práise him with stríngs and pípes.
O práise him with resóunding cýmbals, *
práise him with cláshing of cýmbals.
Let éverything that líves and that bréathes *
give práise to the Lórd.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Behold, our Lord will come with strength and he will give light to the eyes of his servants. Alleluia.
Psalm-prayer
Lord God, maker of heaven and earth and of all created things, you make your just one holy and you justify sinners who confess your name. Hear us as we humbly pray to you: give us eternal joy with your saints.
Or:
Lord God, through your saving plan all things are ours, and we are Christ’s and Christ is yours. Accept the praises of your Church. By these praises, through Christ, with him and in him, all your honour and glory is celebrated, all-powerful Father, in the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.
________
Short Reading
Romans 13:11-12
You know ‘the time’ has come: you must wake up now: our salvation is even nearer than it was when we were converted. The night is almost over, it will be daylight soon – let us give up all the things we prefer to do under cover of the dark; let us arm ourselves and appear in the light.
________
Short Responsory
Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
– Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
You are coming into the world.
– Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
________
Canticle
Benedictus
The Messiah and the one who was sent before him
A voice cries in the wilderness: ‘Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight!’ (Year A)
Or: Behold, I am sending a herald before you to prepare the way for you.
Bléssed be the Lórd, the Gód of Ísrael! *
He has vísited his péople and redéemed them.
He has raised úp for ús a mighty sáviour *
in the hóuse of Dávid his sérvant,
as he prómised by the líps of holy mén, *
thóse who were his próphets from of óld.
A sáviour who would frée us from our fóes, *
from the hánds of áll who háte us.
So his lóve for our fáthers is fulfílled *
and his hóly covenant remémbered.
He swóre to Ábraham our fáther to gránt us, *
that frée from féar, and sáved from the hánds of our fóes,
we might sérve him in hóliness and jústice *
all the dáys of our lífe in his présence.
As for yóu, little chíld, *
you shall be cálled a próphet of Gód, the Most Hígh.
You shall go ahéad of the Lórd *
to prépare his wáys befóre him,
To make knówn to his péople their salvátion *
through forgíveness of áll their síns,
the loving-kíndness of the héart of our Gód *
who vísits us like the dáwn from on hígh.
He will give líght to those in dárkness, †
those who dwéll in the shádow of déath, *
and gúide us into the wáy of péace.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
A voice cries in the wilderness: ‘Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight!’ (Year A)
Or: Behold, I am sending a herald before you to prepare the way for you.
________
Prayers and intercessions
It is time for us to wake out of our sleep: salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
– Father of light, we praise you!
Christ is coming, the day is near:
in our Eucharist today let us look forward with hope and joy.
– Father of light, we praise you!
As today we hear the scriptures, heralding the coming of your Son,
may our minds and hearts be touched by your Word.
– Father of light, we praise you!
As we receive the Body and Blood of your Son,
may we be healed and refreshed by your love.
– Father of light, we praise you!
United in one body, may we pursue the things that make for peace,
and build up our life together until Christ comes.
– Father of light, we praise you!
________
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 trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
________
Almighty and merciful God,
let neither our daily work nor the cares of this life
prevent us from hastening to meet your Son.
Enlighten us with your wisdom
and lead us into his company.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
________
The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Copyright © 1996-2019 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1996-2019 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.