Today we will light Advent wreaths in many churches and homes. Because of the quarantine here, it is not yet possible to begin the season of Advent by lighting one candle. There are always four Sundays in Advent and the rose colored candle is for the Third Sunday when we rejoice for the Lord is near.
The Liturgy for the First Sunday of Advent is worth praying over so I shall just mention a few things that strike me this year.
The Collect: "Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God, the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ with righteous deeds at his coming, so that gathered at his right hand, they may be worthy to possess the heavenly Kingdom."
The First Reading is from Isaiah 63 "Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down..."
The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 80 and we beg the Lord to make us turn to Him and we cry: "Rouse your power and come to save us."
The Second Reading is from Paul's first Letter to the Corinthians: 1:3-9:
"I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
The Gospel is from Mark 13: 33-37
"Jesus said to his disciples: 'Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.....May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. what I say to you, I say to all: 'Watch!'"
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