THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT (DEC. 7TH)

 

“Our Redemption Draweth Nigh!”

✠ THE DIVINE LITURGY OF SAINT JAMES ✠

According to the Use of the Ancient Church of the West

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

✠ THE PREPARATION

INTROIT — Isaiah 30:19–30

O people of Sion, behold, the Lord is nigh at hand to redeem the nations: and in the gladness of your heart the Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard.

Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel: thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep.

V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

✠ THE COLLECTS

BLESSED LORD, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

ALMIGHTY GOD, grant that Thy Holy Church may be so inspired by the example of Thy servant, St. Nicholas of Myra, that we may never cease to work for the welfare of children, the safety of sailors, the relief of the poor, and the help of those tossed by tempests of doubt or grief. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

ALMIGHTY GOD, who made the Bishop Saint Ambrose a teacher of the Catholic and Orthodox Faith and a model of apostolic courage in the face of heresy, raise up in Thy Church men after Thine own heart, to serve her with courage and wisdom. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Who livest and reignest with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end! Amen.

ALMIGHTY GOD, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts; that as we have known the Incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by his Cross and Passion we may be brought unto the glory of his Resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

✠ THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON — Deuteronomy 1:6–18

A Lesson from the Fifth Book of Moses, called Deuteronomy.

The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates. Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them. And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone: the LORD your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. (The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!) How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife? Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you. And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do. So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes. And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him. Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it. And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.

Here endeth the Old Testament Lesson.

THE FIRST NEW TESTAMENT LESSON — II Thessalonians 3:1-13

A Reading from the Second Epistle of Blessed Paul to the Thessalonians.

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

Here endeth the Apostolic Lesson.

THE EPISTLE — Romans 15:4–13

A Reading from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Romans.

Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers; and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Here endeth the Epistle.

THE GRADUAL — Psalm 50:2, 5 and Psalm 122:1

Out of Sion hath God appeared in perfect beauty.

V. Gather my saints together unto me: those that have made a covenant with me with sacrifice.

Alleluia, alleluia.

V. I was glad when they said unto me: We will go into the house of the Lord.

Alleluia.

THE HOLY GOSPEL — Saint Luke 21:25–33

The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke.

At that time, Jesus said unto his disciples: And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

The Holy Gospel of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! 

Praise be to Thee, Lord Christ! 

✠ THE LITURGY OF THE FAITHFUL

OFFERTORY — Psalm 85:6–7

Wilt thou not turn again, O God, and quicken us, that thy people may rejoice in thee: shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation.

SECRET

We beseech thee, O Lord, mercifully to accept the prayers and oblations of us thy humble servants: that we, who can do nothing of ourselves to help ourselves, may be defended by the succour of thy grace. Amen.

COMMUNION — Baruch 4:36–5:1

Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand on high, and behold the joy that cometh unto thee from thy God.

POSTCOMMUNION

O Lord, who hast vouchsafed to satisfy us with heavenly sustenance: we humbly beseech thee; that we, who thou hast made partakers of thy holy mysteries, may learn therein to despise all things earthly, and to cleave stedfastly unto all things heavenly. Through…