On the second Sunday of Advent, the second candle will be lit
Invitation
May I hereby draw your attention to
the daily reading of the Gospel?
This invitation wishes to share with you the joy of the Gospel.
of the Gospel. Everyone, no one excepted,
can experience that joy by opening their hearts
to the healing power of God’s word.
Available every day
Opening word
Today, John is the messenger of joy in our midst.
He calls us to prepare the way of the Lord
and make his paths straight.
In Advent, Welfare also calls us to go on the road together
and put our shoulders to the wheel in a better fight against poverty.
Do we then open our hearts,
so that God’s encouraging words may reach us
and we can gratefully celebrate Eucharist,
looking forward to the coming of the Lord.
Today we light the second candle on the Advent wreath.
Dez candle is a little messenger of joy,
which brings us comfort and courage
and illuminates our darkness.
FIRST READING Isa 40:1-5,9-11
Make way for the Lord.
From the Prophet Isaiah
“Comfort, comfort yet my people.
-says your God,
speak courage to Jerusalem,
cry out to her that her time of punishment is over,
that her iniquity is forgiven,
that from the hand of God
her sins have been doubly paid for.”
A voice calls out:
“Make way for the Lord in the steppe,
pave for our God a lordly way in the desert,
every valley must be filled,
every mountain and hill to be swept down,
every unevenness must be leveled,
the rock masses become a valley.
“And appearing shall be the glory of the Lord
and all flesh shall witness it:
The mouth of the Lord has said it!”
Climb the highest mountain, ye Zion, messenger of joy,
lift up mightily thy voice, Jerusalem, messenger of joy,
proclaim it loudly, know no fear,
cry to the cities of Judah:
“Your God is coming!
“Behold, God the Lord comes with power,
His arm is ruling;
His reward comes with Him,
His reward goes before Him.
“Like a shepherd He will pasture His sheep,
in His arms gather them together,
carry the lambs against His bosom,
guide the sheep with a gentle hand.”
Responsorial Ps; 85(84), 9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
Refrain
Show us, Lord, your mercy
and grant us your salvation.
Hearing I will hear what God says to me,
surely a word of reconciliation.
His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
His glory comes to dwell with us again.
Mercy and truth meet one another,
peace embraces righteousness.
Truth springs from the earth,
righteousness looks down from heaven.
Then the Lord grants us his blessing
and our land bears rich fruit.
Then for Him out of righteousness will go
and prosperity will follow His steps.
SECOND READING 2 Peter 3:8-14
We expect new heavens and a new earth.
From the second letter of the holy apostle Peter
Friends,
One thing must not escape you:
To the Lord one day is like a thousand years
and a thousand years as one day.
The Lord does not delay his promise
as some believe,
but He is patient with you
since He wants all to come to repentance
and that no one should perish.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.
Then the heavens will perish thunderingly
and the elements will be consumed by fire;
and the earth and the deeds done on earth
will stand before God’s judgement.
When all things so perish ,
how shall ye then excel
by holy living and inward piety,
expecting and hastening the coming of the day of God,
by which the heavens shall burst into flame
and the elements shall melt away in the glow of fire.
But according to his promise, we expect new heavens
and a new earth, where righteousness will dwell.
In this expectation, beloved, ye must strive to be
to appear immaculate and blameless before Him,
in peace with God.
Verse for the gospel Lk. 3, 4.6
Alleluia.
Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight;
and all mankind will see God’s salvation.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mk. 1, 1-8
Makes straight the paths of the Lord.
Beginning of the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to Mark
Beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ,
the Son of God.
As it is written by the prophet Isaiah:
Behold, I send my messenger before you
who will prepare the way for you.
A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.”
So John acted in the desert and baptised;
he preached a baptism of repentance
to forgiveness of sins.
All the land of Judea and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
went out to him ,
and were baptised by him in the river Jordan,
as they confessed their sins.
John was dressed in camel’s hair
with a leather belt around his loins;
he ate locusts and wild honey.
He preached:
“After me comes one who is stronger than me ,
and I am not worthy to stoop down
and unbuckle the strap of his sandals.
“I have baptised you with water
but He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.”
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Laudato Si
Encyclic by
POPE FRANCIS
On caring for the common home
132. Within this framework, any reflection should be placed regarding human intervention in the animal and plant world, which today involves genetic changes brought about by biotechnology, with the aim of exploiting the possibilities present in material reality. Faith’s respect for reason requires paying attention to what biological science itself, developed independently in relation to economic interests, can teach about biological structures and their possibilities and changes. In any case, an intervention in nature “to help it develop in accordance with its being, that of creation, is that willed by God”. 7
To be continued
The Bible text in this issue is taken from The New Bible Translation,
©Dutch Bible Society 2004/2007.
Considerations from Liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
Laudato Si Official English translation