The Sunday of Love
He is God’s perfect love in human form.
Those who believe in him and live in him,
live in love.
Love transforms and perfects all things.
We light this candle today
for the joy he pours into our hearts,
and for the love that redeems us
and shows us the way.
The Fourth Sunday of Advent
12-18-22 
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
Is 7:10-14
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;
let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered,
"I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"
Then Isaiah said:
Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary people,
must you also weary my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:
the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall name him Emmanuel.
sorrow and mourning will flee.
The Word of the Lord ~Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
The LORD's are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.
2nd Reading
Rom 1:1-7
called to be an apostle
and set apart for the gospel of God,
which he promised previously through
his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
the gospel about his Son,
descended from David according to the flesh,
but established as Son of God in power
according to the Spirit of holiness
through resurrection from the dead,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through him we have received the grace of apostleship,
to bring about the obedience of faith,
for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,
among whom are you also,
who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;
to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Allelulia.
The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel.
R. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alelluia, Alelluia.
Mt 1:18-24
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared
to him in a dream and said,
"Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means "God is with us."
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
~ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ
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
Offertory Song:
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Eucharistic Acclamations:
R: Blessed be God forever
R: Blessed be God forever
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Amen, Amen, Amen
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Lord’s Prayer
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.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
enter under my roof,
but only say the word
and my soul shall be healed.
Spiritual Communion:
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
Lord Jesus,
You said to your disciples,
"I am the way the truth and the life."
Give young people the gift of discernment,
to find their way and embrace their true vocation,
the life for which you have created them.
In all that lies before them,
help them discern a life
that is pleasing to you,
whether to Christian marriage,
to priesthood,
or the consecrated religious life.
Send your Holy Spirit to inspire them.
Grant them the grace to embrace
a life of joyful service.
Fulfill their desires to make a
generous gift of themselves to others,
after your example.
Give them the loving support of family and friends
as they prayerfully discern their vocation in this life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
~ Amen