Third Sunday of Advent, 12-17-23

     Third Sunday of Advent

12-17-23

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 Is 61:1-2A, 10-11

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
to announce a year of favor from the LORD
and a day of vindication by our God.

I rejoice heartily in the LORD,
in my God is the joy of my soul;
for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation
and wrapped me in a mantle of justice,
like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem,
like a bride bedecked with her jewels.
As the earth brings forth its plants,
and a garden makes its growth spring up,
so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise
spring up before all the nations.

The Word of the Lord,

        ~Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm Lk 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54

R. (Is 61:10b) My soul rejoices in my God.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked upon his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
R. My soul rejoices in my God.
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
R. My soul rejoices in my God.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
R. My soul rejoices in my God.

2nd Reading  1 Thes 5:16-24

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.
In all circumstances give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
Do not quench the Spirit.
Do not despise prophetic utterances.
Test everything; retain what is good.
Refrain from every kind of evil.
May the God of peace make you perfectly holy
and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body,
be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The one who calls you is faithful,
and he will also accomplish it.

The Word of the Lord,

        ~Thanks be to God

Alleluia 
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel  Jn 1:6-8, 19-28

 A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
And this is the testimony of John.
When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests
and Levites to him
to ask him, “Who are you?”
He admitted and did not deny it,
but admitted, “I am not the Christ.”
So they asked him,
“What are you then? Are you Elijah?”
And he said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
So they said to him,
“Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us?
What do you have to say for yourself?”
He said:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,
‘make straight the way of the Lord,’”
as Isaiah the prophet said.”
Some Pharisees were also sent. 
They asked him,
“Why then do you baptize
if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”
John answered them,
“I baptize with water;
but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me,
whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”
This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,
where John was baptizing.

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         

~ Risen Lord, hear our prayer

Offertory Song:

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.

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 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