Third Sunday of Advent
December 17, 2017 Cycle B
Purple priestly vestments symbolize penance and preparation.
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Liturgical
Year Cycle B 2017-2018
Introductory Acts Of Worship
The Entrance Prayers:
On Sunday, usually a hymn praising God
is sung in place of reciting a Psalm from the Bible which invites us to
enter more deeply into the mystery of God's love for us. The recited
weekday Psalm expresses a youthful heart and spirit, delighted that we may come
before the living God.
Entrance Song
/ Entrance Psalm (Antiphon)
Entrance Song
Philippians 4:4-5 Rejoice in
the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near.
The Priest Approaches and Kisses the Altar: The altar is a symbol of Christ. In it are cut five crosses to recall the five wounds of Christ. The altar also represents the Church and has embedded in it the relics of her saints. The priest comes to the altar to celebrate the Sacrifice in the Church's name. Because of the glory surrounding the altar upon which the divine Sacrifice will be made, the kiss of the priest unites the Church to Christ, its Redeemer.
Priest:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All:
Amen.
Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and
the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All: And with your spirit
The Penitential Prayers: We recognize our guilt for past sins, express our sorrow for them, and ask that Mary, the angels, the saints, and our brothers and sisters in Christ pray for the Lord God's mercy. (The priest may select from several forms).
Priest: Brothers and sisters, let
us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred
mysteries.
Priest / All: 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.
The Absolution:
Priest: May almighty God have
mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.
All:
Amen.
The Collect: The priest lifts the united prayers and petitions of the congregation to God the Father through the merits of Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.
Priest: Let us pray.
Priest: O God, who see how your people faithfully await the
feast of the Lord's Nativity, enable us, we pray, to attain the joys of so great
a salvation and to celebrate them always with solemn worship and glad rejoicing.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you in the
unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Liturgy
of the Word
Christ is made known to us through the Old Testament which prepares us to recognize Him. In those days, God inspired men who spoke His message. Now, the New Testament Gospel reading announces His presence to us directly through His Son. Both readings bring God's message to us. Our responsibility is to respond.
The First Reading: From the Old Testament Book of the prophet Isaiah
Isaiah 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 hear the broken hearted, 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.
Priest/Reader:
The Word of the
Lord.
All:
Thanks
be to God.
The Responsorial Psalm:
This Psalm praising God, is a prayer to God,
or recommends the practice of virtue. It is sung as an interlude between
the scriptural readings. It provides yet another instructional setting and
invites the assembly to imitate the cantor who sings a repeated response to the
verses of an ancient Psalm many of which are attributed to King David. The
verses are sung first by a cantor (song leader) accompanied by instruments, the
refrain is sung by the people.
Responsorial
Luke 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54
Isaiah 61:10b
Cantor: My soul rejoices in my
God; my soul rejoices in my God.
All: R/. My
soul rejoices in my God; my soul rejoices in my God.
Cantor: 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:
All: R/. My
soul rejoices in my God; my soul rejoices in my God.
Cantor: The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy
is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.
All: R/. My
soul rejoices in my God; my soul rejoices in my God.
Cantor: 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.
All: R/. My
soul rejoices in my God; my soul rejoices in my God.
The Second Reading: Taken from the New Testament, often from a letter written by St. Paul.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Brothers and sisters: 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.
Priest/Reader: The word
of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
The Alleluia:
An ancient expression of joy anticipating
the Lord's message we will hear in the Gospel.
Isaiah 61:1
Cantor: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!
ALL: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!
Cantor: The spirit of the Lord is upon me; he sent me to
bring Good News to the poor.
ALL: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia!
The Gospel:
The Liturgy of the Word is completed
by the reading of the Gospel. Before its reading, the members of the
assembly trace the sign of the cross upon the forehead to indicate their mental
acceptance of the Truth, on the lips to indicate their readiness to announce it,
and over the heart to indicate their sincere desire to accept it into their
lives. The "Good News" of the Gospel tells that God's kingdom has come for
all to hear, accept, and announce to the world for its salvation. It
is God who is speaking to us. Christ comes to teach us by the example of
His life and by His own words.
Priest: Cleanse my heart and
my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And with our spirit.
Priest/Deacon: A
reading from the holy Gospel according
to John.
All: Glory
to you, Lord.
The Gospel: John 1:6-8, 19-29
John wrote to show that Christ was
the Messiah, the Divine Son of God.
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
Messiah." 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 Messiah 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 unite." This happened in Bethany across
the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Priest: The
Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Priest: Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped
away.
The Priest's Sermon:
The priest develops, explains, and comments upon the Master's words,
so our minds may be
enlightened, and our
hearts enriched.
(A priestly reflection upon this Gospel)
Profession of Faith: We state in the Nicene Creed the principles of our faith in precise and definite terms.
All: I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. 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 for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
General Intercessions:
We pray for the needs of the pope, civic
leaders, our own needs, those of others,
the sick, the dying, those who have died, the church, and the world.
The response of all to each intercession: Lord, hear our prayer.
All: Lord,
hear our prayer.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist
Gifts of bread and wine symbolizing ourselves are presented to the priest who will offer them to God the Father. Through the Holy Spirit, they will become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ whom we receive in Holy Communion. Jesus unites Himself with us for our spiritual nourishment and strength. Today, when individuals do not present their own personal offerings of bread and wine, the monetary contribution symbolizes the material of their united sacrifice. The priest makes and offering of the bread and wine to God.
Preparation of the Bread and
Wine:
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation,
for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you:
fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of
life.
All:
Blessed be God for ever.
Priest: By
the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of
Christ, who humbled himself to share
in our humanity.
Priest: Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have
received the wine we offer you; fruit of the vine and work of human hands it will become our spiritual drink.
All: Blessed be God for ever.
Priest: With humble spirit and contrite heart may we be accepted by you, O Lord, and may our sacrifice in your sight this day be pleasing to you, Lord God.
The Priest's Hands are Washed: This act was traditionally necessary because the priest handled the various gifts presented by the people. Now, the cleansing act using water reminds the priest and ourselves of the need to cleanse not only the hands but the soul. Soon, the priest's hands will hold the actual body of Christ, and we will become His dwelling place.
Priest: Wash
me o Lord, from m iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Pray, brethren, that
my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.
All: 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.
Prayer over the Gifts: Speaking in our name, the priest asks the Father to accept the gifts we offer through him.
Priest: May the sacrifice of our worship, Lord, we pray, be offered to you unceasingly, to complete what was begun in sacred mystery and powerfully accomplish for us your saving work. Through Christ our Lord.
Eucharistic Prayer:
(Number One: The priest may select from several forms).
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your
spirit.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
All: It is right
and just.
Preface Prayer:
Priest: It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God, through Christ our Lord. For all the oracles of the prophets foretold him, the Virgin Mother longed for him with love beyond all telling. John the Baptist sang of his coming and proclaimed his presence when he came. It is by his gift that already we rejoice at the mystery of his Nativity, so that he may find us watchful in prayer and exultant in his praise. And so with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominions, and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven, we sing the hymn of your glory, as without end we acclaim:
Acclamation:
Priest and All: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Priest: To
you, therefore, most merciful Father, we make humble prayer and petition through
Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord: that you accept and bless these gifts, these
offerings, these holy and unblemished sacrifices, which we offer you firstly for
your holy catholic church. Be pleased to grant her peace, to guard, unite
and govern her throughout the whole world, together with your servant ______,
our Pope and _____, our Bishop, and all those who, holding to the truth, hand on
the catholic and apostolic faith.
Remember, Lord, your servants _____ and _____ and all gathered here, whose faith and devotion are known to you. For them, we offer you this sacrifice of praise or they offer it for themselves and all who are dear to them: for the redemption of their souls, in hope of health and well-being, and paying their homage to you, the eternal God, living and true.
In communion with those whose memory we venerate, especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, and blessed Joseph, her Spouse, your blessed Apostles and Martyrs, Peter and Paul, Andrew, James, John, Thomas, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Simon and Jude; Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus, Cornelius, Cyprian, Lawrence, Chrysogonus, John and Paul, Cosmas and Damian and all your Saints; we ask that through their merits and prayers, in all things we may be defended by your protecting help. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Be pleased, O God, we pray, to bless, acknowledge, and approve this offering in every respect; make it spiritual and acceptable, so that it may become for us the Body and Blood of your most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
The priest repeats the words which
Christ used at his Last Supper when He changed the bread into His Body and the
wine into His Blood. His Body and Blood are truly present but under the
appearance of bread and wine. The death of Christ is prolonged in each of
those who receive Him worthily. We apply His death to ourselves so that we
may share His glory. This moment is the most solemn on earth because it is
Divine act which enables us to apply to ourselves the Cross which Christ
willingly took upon Himself.
We are called to die to sin and
lift our very selves to God so that we become changed; to do as God would have
us do, to become what God would have us become. Our own little cross can
lift us into union with Christ's Cross so we may earn the joys of everlasting
happiness with God the Father.
The
Lord's Supper:
On the day before he was to suffer, he took
bread in his holy and venerable hands, and with eyes raised to heaven to you, O
God, his almighty Father, giving you thanks, he said the blessing, broke the
bread and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my Body, which will be given
up for you.
In
a similar way, when supper was ended, he took this precious chalice in his holy
and venerable hands, and once more giving you thanks, he said the blessing and
gave the chalice to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.
Memorial Acclamation: (The priest may select from several forms).
Priest: The
mystery of faith.
Priest
/ All: Save us,
Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.
Memorial Prayer: (The priest may select from several forms).
Priest:
Recalls Christ's Passion, Resurrection, Ascension, the Church,
the dead, and ourselves.
Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of the blessed Passion, the
Resurrection from the dead, and the glorious Ascension into heaven of Christ,
your Son, our Lord, we, your servants and your holy people, offer to your
glorious majesty from the gifts that you have given us, this pure victim, this
holy victim, this spotless victim, the holy Bread of eternal life and the
Chalice of everlasting salvation.
Be pleased to look upon these offerings with
a serene and kindly countenance, and to accept them, as once you were pleased to
accept the gifts of your servant Able the just, the sacrifice of Abraham, our
father in faith, and the offering of your high priest Melchizedek, a holy
sacrifice, a spotless victim.
In humble prayer we ask you, almighty God: command these these gifts be borne by the hands of your holy Angel to your altar on high in the sight of your divine majesty, so that all of us, who through this participation at the altar receive the most holy Body and Blood of your Son, may be filled with every grace and heavenly blessing. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Remember also, Lord, your servants _____ and _____, who have gone before us with the sign of faith and rest in the sleep of peace. Grant them, O Lord, we pray, and all who sleep in Christ, a place of refreshment, light and peace. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
To us, also, your servants, who though
sinners, hope in your abundant mercies, graciously grant some share and
fellowship with your holy Apostles and Martyrs: with John the Baptist, Stephen,
Matthias, Barnabas, Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter, Felicity, Perpetua,
Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, Anastasia and all your Saints; admit us, we
beseech you, into their company, not weighing our merits, but granting us your
pardon, through Christ our Lord. Through whom you continue to make all
these good things, O Lord; you sanctify them, fill them with life, bless them,
and bestow them upon us.
Doxology:
Prayer of Praise: Through
him, with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Communion Rite
In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we symbolically offer ourselves to the Lord through the gifts of bread and wine. At the Consecration, we offer our very lives to be united the God the Father through the Cross of Christ. In Communion, we find that we have not died at all, but have come to life. We have surrendered ourselves to God through His Divine Son, Jesus Christ. In return become ennobled and enriched. We give up time and we get eternity, we give up our sin and we receive grace, we surrender our self-will and receive the strength of the Divine Will, we give up ourselves and we receive everything. For the Son of God says to us that unless we receive Him we shall not have Divine life in us. But it is not really we who receive Christ as it is Christ who receives us, bringing us into Himself.
God makes His Cross the very means of our salvation and our life. While we have crucified Him, His eternal love cannot be extinguished. Christ willed to give us the very life we crucified in our Redemption, the Consecration of Holy Thursday into Communion, His death into our everlasting life.
The Lord's Prayer:
Priest: At
the Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
Priest and
All: Our
Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be they 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.
Priest: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
All: For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.
Prayer for Peace:
Priest: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles: Peace I leave
you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church,
and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who
live and reign for ever and ever.
All: Amen.
Priest: The peace of the Lord be with
you always.
All: And with your spirit.
Priest: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Breaking of the Bread:
Priest: May this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.
Priest and All: 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.
Priest Preparation: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God,
who, by the will of the Father and the work of the Holy Spirit, through your
Death gave life to the world, free my by this, your most holy Body and Blood,
from all my sins and from every evil; keep me always faithful to your
commandments, and never let me be parted from you.
Priest: Behold
the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed
are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
Priest and All: Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the world and my soul shall be healed.
Priest: May the Body of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
May the Blood of Christ keep me safe for eternal life.
Communion Antiphon:
Isaiah 35:4 Say to the faint of
heart: Be strong and do not fear. Behold, our God will come, and he will
save us.
Communion of the Faithful:
Priest: The Body of Christ.
The Faithful: Amen.
Priest: The Blood of Christ.
The Faithful: Amen.
Cleansing of the Vessels:
Priest: What has passed our lips as food, O Lord, may we possess in purity of heart, that what has been given to us in time may be our healing for eternity.
Prayer after Communion:
Priest: Let us pray.
Priest: We
implore your mercy, Lord, that this divine sustenance may cleanse us of our
faults and prepare us for the coming feasts. Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Concluding Rite
Priest: The Lord be with you.
All: And
with your spirit.
Priest: Bow
down for the blessing.
Dismissal Prayer: (The priest may select from several forms)
Priest: May the almighty and merciful God, by whose grace you have
placed your faith in the First Coming of his Only Begotten Son and yearn for his
coming again, sanctify you by the radiance of Christ's Advent and enrich you
with his blessing.
All: Amen.
Priest: As you run the race of this present life, may he make you
firm in faith, joyful in hope and active in charity.
All: Amen.
Priest: So, that rejoicing now with devotion at the Redeemer's
coming in the flesh, you may be endowed with the rich reward of eternal life
when he comes again in majesty.
All: Amen.
Priest: And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the
Son, and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and remain with you for ever.
All: Amen.
Priest: Go in peace.
All: Thanks be to God.
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins.
Save us from the fires of hell.
Lead all souls to heaven,
especially those in most need of your mercy.
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