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FIRST
SUNDAY OF ADVENT
ISAIAH 2:1-5; PSALM
122; ROMANS
13:11-14; MATTHEW
24:36-44
COLLECT
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and
put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life in
which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility, that on
the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to
judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life
immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
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A
READING FROM THE BOOK OF ISAIAH
The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and
Jerusalem. In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall
be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be
raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many
peoples shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the
mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he
may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For
out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord
from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall
arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into
plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not
lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any
more. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the
Lord!
ISAIAH 2:1-5
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PSALM
REFRAIN I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the
house of the Lord."
I
was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the
Lord."
Now
our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. R
Jerusalem
is built as a city that is at unity with itself;
To
which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, the assembly of
Israel, to praise the Name of the Lord. R
For
there are the thrones of judgement, the thrones of the house of
David.
Pray
for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. R
Peace
be within your walls and quietness within your towers.
For
my brethren and companions' sake, I pray for your prosperity.
Because
of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek to do you
good." R
PSALM 122
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A
READING FROM THE LETTER OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS
Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment
for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than
when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near.
Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour
of light; let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling
and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in
quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
ROMANS 13:11-14
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THE
HOLY GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of
heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah
were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those
days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and
giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they
knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too
will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the
field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be
grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left.
Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is
coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known
in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have
stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at
an unexpected hour.
MATTHEW 24:36-44
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PRAYER
OVER THE GIFTS
God of love and power, your word stirs within us the expectation
of the coming of your Son. Accept all we offer you this day, and
sustain us with your promise of eternal life. We ask this in the
name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
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PRAYER
AFTER COMMUNION
God for whom we wait, you have fed us with the bread of eternal
life. Keep us ever watchful, that we may be ready to stand before
the Son of man. We ask this in the name of Christ the Lord.
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