Fourth Sunday in Advent 12-19-21

 




The Fourth Sunday in Advent


12-19-21

Gathering Song:


Greeting

Penitential Act: Confiteor
I confess to almighty God and to you,
my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done
and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
Therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints;
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.

-AND/OR-

Lord have Mercy,
Christ have Mercy,
Lord have Mercy


Liturgy of the Word

1st Reading 

Thus says the LORD:
    You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah
        too small to be among the clans of Judah,
    from you shall come forth for me
        one who is to be ruler in Israel;
    whose origin is from of old,
        from ancient times.
    Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
        when she who is to give birth has borne,
    and the rest of his kindred shall return
        to the children of Israel.
    He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
        by the strength of the LORD,
        in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
    and they shall remain, for now his greatness
        shall reach to the ends of the earth;
        he shall be peace.

The Word of the Lord,
                                  ~Thanks be to God


Responsorial Psalm









Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19.

R. Lord, make us turn to you;
      let us see your face and we shall be saved.

O shepherd of Israel, hearken,

    from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.

Rouse your power,

    and come to save us.

R. Lord, make us turn to you;
      let us see your face and we shall be saved.

Once again, O LORD of hosts,

    look down from heaven, and see;

take care of this vine,

    and protect what your right hand has planted

the son of man whom you yourself made strong.

R. Lord, make us turn to you;
    let us see your face and we shall be saved.

May your help be with the man of your right hand,

    with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.

Then we will no more withdraw from you;

    give us new life, and we will call upon your name.

R. Lord, make us turn to you;
      let us see your face and we shall be saved.




2nd Reading











 Heb 10:5-10

Brothers and sisters:

When Christ came into the world, he said:

    “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

        but a body you prepared for me;

    in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.

    Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll,

    behold, I come to do your will, O God.’“


First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings,

holocausts and sin offerings, 

you neither desired nor delighted in.”

These are offered according to the law.

Then he says, :Behold, I come to do your will.”

He takes away the first to establish the second.

By this “will,”  we have been consecrated 

through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The Word of the Lord
  ~Thanks be to God 
    
Alleluia


R. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.
R. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.



Gospel


Mary set out

and traveled to the hill country in haste

to a town of Judah, 

where she entered the house of Zechariah

and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,

the infant leaped in her womb, 

and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, 

cried out in a loud voice and said, 

“Blessed are you among women, 

and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

And how does this happen to me, 

that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For at the moment the sound of your greeting

reached my ears, 

the infant in my womb leaped for joy.

Blessed are you who believed

that what was spoken to you by the Lord

would be fulfilled.”.

The Gospel of the Lord,
     ~ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ


Homily

Profession of Faith:
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.

Universal Prayer: Prayers of Petition         
~ Lord, hear our prayer


Liturgy of the Eucharist
Eucharistic Acclamations:
R: Blessed be God forever 

R: Blessed be God forever
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
R: May the Lord accept the sacrifice
at your hands for the
praise and glory of his name,
for our good
and the good of all His holy Church
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
R: And with your spirit

R: We lift them up to the Lord

R: It is right and just.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full,
full of your glory.
Hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.  
Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.
 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your 
Resurrection, until you come again.
Or
When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup
We proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
Or
Save us, Savior of the world,
for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~
 
Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen
            
  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Lord’s Prayer
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. Amen.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
For the kingdom,
the power and glory are yours
now and forever.~Amen

~*~*~*~*~*~*~
    Sign of Peace 
R: And with your Spirit
 
(to one another) :
          ~ Peace be with you!          
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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.

  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~

R: Lord I am not worthy that should
enter under my roof,
but only say the word
and my soul shall be healed.


Communion Song:

 
  
Spiritual Communion:
My Jesus, I believe that you are present
in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love you above all things,
and I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally,
Come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there
And unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
 
Concluding Rite

Closing Song

Vocations Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Bless our diocese with the grace of many vocations
to the priesthood, diaconate and to religious life.
Through the intercession of the Blessed Mother,
grant to those You have called
the willingness and the generosity of spirit
to give of themselves in devoting their lives
and their talents
to the service
of our Lord and to His Church.
Increase the faith of all within our diocese,
and especially the faith of those You are calling.
We ask this through Christ, Your Son our Lord. ~ Amen