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Sunday Readings




December 8th, 2019




Second Sunday of Advent


Collect

O Lord, raise up, we pray, your power
and come among us,
and with great might succour us;
that whereas,
 through our sins and wickedness
we are grievously hindered
in running the race that is set before us,
your bountiful grace and mercy
may speedily help and deliver us;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honour and glory, now and for ever.


Additional Collect

Almighty God,
purify our hearts and minds,
that when your Son Jesus Christ
 comes again as judge and saviour
we may be ready to receive him,
who is our Lord and our God.


First Reading

Isaiah 11.1-10

1A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 2The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 3His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; 4but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 5Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. 6The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. 7The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. 9They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

10On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.


Psalm 72.1-7,18-19

R May all nations be blest in him.

1  Give the king your judgements, O God, *
 and your righteousness to the son of a king.

2  Then shall he judge your people righteously *
 and your poor with justice.

3  May the mountains bring forth peace, *
and the little hills righteousness for the people. R

4  May he defend the poor among the people, *
deliver the children of the needy and crush the oppressor.

5  May he live as long as the sun and moon endure, *
from one generation to another. R

6  May he come down like rain upon the mown grass, *
like the showers that water the earth.

7  In his time shall righteousness flourish, *
and abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more. R

18  Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, *
who alone does wonderful things.

19  And blessed be his glorious name for ever. *
May all the earth be filled with his glory. Amen. Amen. R


Second Reading

Romans 15.4-13

4Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, 6so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
‘Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,
  and sing praises to your name’;
10and again he says,
‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people’;
11and again,
‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
  and let all the peoples praise him’;
12and again Isaiah says,
‘The root of Jesse shall come,
  the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
 in him the Gentiles shall hope.’
13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.


Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia. Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia.


Gospel

Matthew 3.1-12

1In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 3This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
 ‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
 “Prepare the way of the Lord,
  make his paths straight.”’
4Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’


Post Communion

Father in heaven,
who sent your Son to redeem the world
and will send him again to be our judge:
give us grace so to imitate him
 in the humility and purity of his first coming
that, when he comes again,
we may be ready to greet him
with joyful love and firm faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.


Blessing

May God himself, the God of peace,
make you perfect and holy,
and keep you safe and blameless, in spirit, soul and body,
for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;
and the blessing …





Copyright acknowledgement (where not already indicated above):

Post Communion (2nd of Advent) © 1980, 1986 Mowbray, a Cassell Imprint: Prayers for the Alternative Services comp. David Silk

ome material included in this service is copyright: © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA

Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops' Council 2000

Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops' Council 2002

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