THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT (DEC. 14TH)

“Our Lord Cometh”

✠ THE DIVINE LITURGY OF SAINT JAMES ✠

According to the Use of the Ancient Church of the West

✠ THE PREPARATION ✠

INTROIT — Gaudete

Philippians 4:4–6; Psalm 85:1

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Let your moderation be known unto all men: the Lord is at hand.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.

Lord, thou art become gracious unto thy land:

thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.

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 ✠

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 thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 

O GOD, who in the foreknowledge of thy Son's most precious death didst consecrate for him a dwelling-place by the spotless Conception of the Blessed Virgin: mercifully grant that she who was preserved from all defilement; may evermore pray for us until we attain unto thee in purity of heart. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

O Almighty and Everlasting God, who didst strengthen Thy holy Virgin and Martyr, Saint Lucy, to endure steadfastly for the sake of Christ, and who didst make her an immovable witness to Thy power even in the face of persecution; Grant, we beseech Thee, that we, inspired by her faith and purity, may despise the fleeting riches of this world and seek the treasures of Thy heavenly kingdom. As we commemorate her heavenly birthday, may her holy intercession uphold us, that we may remain steadfast in trial, boldly proclaim Thy truth, and behold with joy the eternal glory she now enjoys; through Jesus Christ Thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

O LORD Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee: grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight. Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

✠ THE LITURGY OF THE WORD ✠

THE OLD TESTAMENT LESSON

Deuteronomy 4:29–40; 5:1–7; 6:4–9

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

But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (for the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it. Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live? Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?

Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the Lord he is God; there is none else beside him.

Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire. And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt; to drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is this day.

Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for ever.

And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them: Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.

The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.

The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.

The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire (I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to shew you the word of the Lord), saying:

I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord.

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart.

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

Here endeth the Old Testament Lesson.

THE FIRST NEW TESTAMENT LESSON

1 Thessalonians 5:1–11, 14–24

A Reading from the First Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians.

But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

For when they shall say: Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Now we exhort you, brethren: warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

Rejoice evermore.

Pray without ceasing.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Quench not the Spirit.

Despise not prophesyings.

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Abstain from all appearance of evil.

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Here endeth the Apostolic Lesson.

THE EPISTLE

1 Corinthians 4:1–5

A Reading from the First Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians.

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

Here endeth the Epistle.

THE GRADUAL

Psalm 80; Psalm 85

Shew thyself, O Lord, thou that sittest upon the Cherubims: stir up thy strength, and come.

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

Alleluia, alleluia.

V. Stir up thy strength, O Lord: and come and help us.

Alleluia.

THE HOLY GOSPEL

Matthew 11:2–10

The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew.

Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him: Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

Jesus answered and said unto them: Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see:

The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me.

And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John:

What went ye out into the wilderness to see?

A reed shaken with the wind?

But what went ye out for to see?

A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.

But what went ye out for to see?

A prophet?

Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

For this is he, of whom it is written:

Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise be to Thee, O 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

Isaiah 35

Say to them that are of a fearful heart: Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come and save you.

POSTCOMMUNION

O Lord, who hast vouchsafed to satisfy us with heavenly sustenance: we humbly beseech thee; that we, whom 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 Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.