Sunday 1 December 2024 - 1st Sunday of Advent
First reading - Jeremiah 33:14-16
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD,
when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel
and the house of Judah.
In those days and at that time
I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David,
and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely.
And this is the name by which it will be called:
‘The LORD is our righteousness.’
The Word of the Lord
Responsorial Psalm - Ps 25(24):4-5b. 8-9. 10, 14. ℟ 1b
To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
O LORD, make me know your ways.
Teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth, and teach me;
for you are the God of my salvation.
To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he shows the way to sinners.
He guides the humble in right judgement;
to the humble he teaches his way.
To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
All the LORD’s paths are mercy and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and commands.
The LORD’s secret is for those who fear him;
to them he reveals his covenant.
To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
Second reading - 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2
Brothers and sisters:
May the Lord make you increase
and abound in love for one another and for all,
as we do for you,
so that he may establish your hearts
blameless in holiness before our God and Father,
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
Finally, then, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus,
that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God,
just as you are doing,
that you do so more and more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel Acclamation - Psalm 85(84):8
Alleluia, alleluia.
Show us, O LORD, your mercy,
and grant us your salvation.
Alleluia.
Gospel - Luke 21:25-28, 34-36
At that time:
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘There will be signs in sun and moon and stars,
and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity
because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,
people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world.
For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Now when these things begin to take place,
straighten up and raise your heads,
because your redemption is drawing near.
‘But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down
with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life,
and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.
For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
But stay awake at all times,
praying that you may have strength to escape
all these things that are going to take place,
and to stand before the Son of Man.’
The Word of the Lord
Sunday 8 December 2024 - 2nd Sunday of Advent
First reading - Baruch 5:1-9
Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem,
and put on for ever the beauty of the glory from God.
Put on the robe of the righteousness from God;
put on your head the crown of the glory of the Everlasting.
For God will show your splendour everywhere under heaven.
For your name will for ever be called by God:
‘Peace of righteousness and glory of godliness’.
Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height
and look towards the east
and see your children gathered from west and east,
at the word of the Holy One,
rejoicing that God has remembered them.
For they went forth from you on foot,
led away by their enemies;
but God will bring them back to you,
carried in glory, as on a royal throne.
For God has ordered that every high mountain
and the everlasting hills be made low
and the valleys filled up to make level ground,
so that Israel may walk safely in the glory of God.
The woods and every fragrant tree
have shaded Israel at God’s command.
For God will lead Israel with joy
in the light of his glory,
with the mercy and righteousness that come from him.
The Word of the Lord
Responsorial Psalm - Ps 126(125):1-2b. 2c-3. 4-5. 6. ℟3
What great deeds the LORD worked for us!
Indeed, we were glad.
When the LORD brought back the exiles of Sion,
we thought we were dreaming.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter;
on our tongues, songs of joy.
What great deeds the LORD worked for us!
Indeed, we were glad.
Then they said among the nations,
‘What great deeds the LORD worked for them!’
What great deeds the LORD worked for us!
Indeed, we were glad.
What great deeds the LORD worked for us!
Indeed, we were glad.
Bring back our exiles, O LORD,
as streams in the Negeb.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.
What great deeds the LORD worked for us!
Indeed, we were glad.
They go out, they go out, full of tears,
bearing seed for the sowing;
they come back, they come back with a song,
bearing their sheaves.
What great deeds the LORD worked for us!
Indeed, we were glad.
Second reading - Philippians 1:3-6, 8-11
Brothers and sisters:
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,
always in every prayer of mine for you all,
making my prayer with joy,
because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
And I am sure of this,
that he who began a good work in you
will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
For God is my witness,
how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more,
with knowledge and all discernment,
so that you may approve what is excellent,
and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ,
to the glory and praise of God.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel Acclamation - Luke 3:4, 6
Alleluia, alleluia.
Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight;
all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Alleluia.
Gospel - Luke 3:1-6
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea,
and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis,
and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
And he went into all the region around the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” ’
The Gospel of the Lord
Sunday 15 December 2024 - 3rd Sunday of Advent
First reading - Zephaniah 3:14-18a
Sing aloud, O daughter of Sion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
The LORD has taken away the judgements against you;
he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear evil.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
‘Fear not, O Sion;
let not your hands grow weak.
The LORD your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival,
so that you will no longer suffer reproach.’
The Word of the Lord
Responsorial Psalm - Is 12:2-3. 4b-d. 5-6. ℟3
Shout aloud and sing praise,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Behold, God is my salvation!
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the LORD is my strength and my praise,
and he has been my salvation.
With joy you will draw water
from the springs of salvation.
Shout aloud and sing praise,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the peoples his deeds;
proclaim that his name is exalted.
Shout aloud and sing praise,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Sing to the LORD for he has wrought wonders;
let this be known through all the earth.
Shout aloud and sing praise, you who dwell in Sion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Shout aloud and sing praise,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Second reading - Philippians 4:4-7
Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.
The Lord is at hand;
do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel Acclamation - Isaiah 61:1 (Luke 4:18)
Alleluia, alleluia.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
he has sent me to proclaim good news to the poor.
Alleluia.
Gospel - Luke 3:10-18
At that time:
The crowds asked John,
‘What, then, shall we do?’
And he answered them,
‘Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none,
and whoever has food is to do likewise.’
Tax collectors also came to be baptised and said to him,
‘Teacher, what shall we do?’
And he said to them,
‘Collect no more than you are authorized to do.’
Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what shall we do?’
And he said to them,
‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation,
and be content with your wages.’
As the people were filled with expectation,
and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John,
whether he might be the Christ,
John answered them all, saying,
‘I baptise you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming,
the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.
He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fork is in his hand,
to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’
So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.
The Gospel of the Lord
Sunday 22 December 2024 - 4th Sunday of Advent
First reading - Micah 5:2-5a
Thus says the LORD:
You, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labour has given birth;
then the rest of his brothers shall return
to the people of Israel.
And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth.
And he shall be their peace.
The Word of the Lord
Responsorial Psalm - Ps 80(79):2ac, 3b, 15-16. 18-19. ℟4
Bring us back, O God;
let your face shine forth, and we shall be saved.
O shepherd of Israel, hear us,
enthroned on the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse up your might and come to save us.
Bring us back, O God;
let your face shine forth, and we shall be saved.
God of hosts, turn again, we implore;
look down from heaven and see.
Visit this vine and protect it,
the stock your right hand has planted,
the son you have claimed for yourself.
Bring us back, O God;
let your face shine forth, and we shall be saved.
May your hand be on the man at your right hand,
the son of man you have confirmed as your own.
And we shall never forsake you again;
give us life that we may call upon your name.
Bring us back, O God;
let your face shine forth, and we shall be saved.
Second reading - Hebrews 10:5-10
Brothers and sisters:
When Christ came into the world, he said,
‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, “Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.” ’
When he said above,
‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings
and burnt offerings and sin offerings’
(these are offered according to the Law),
then he added, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will’.
He does away with the first in order to establish the second.
And by that will we have been sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ
once for all.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel Acclamation - Luke 1:38
Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord;
let it be to me according to your word.
Alleluia.
Gospel - Luke 1:39-45
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country,
to a town in Judah,
and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary,
the baby leaped in her womb.
And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
and she exclaimed with a loud cry,
‘Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
And why is this granted to me
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears,
the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
And blessed is she who believed
that there would be a fulfilment
of what was spoken to her from the Lord.’
The Gospel of the Lord