November 27, 2011 YEAR - B First Sunday of Advent

November 27, 2011 YEAR - B First Sunday of Advent

“ WHAT I SAY TO YOU, I SAY TO ALL: ‘WATCH!’ ”

INTRODUCTION TO THE MASS

Advent is a time of watchfulness. We are waiting for the final coming of Christ at the end on time. And we are also waiting for his coming to us at the time of our death. Since both times are hidden from us, we should maintain a state of watchfulness so that we are ready to meet the LORD at any moment. [Pause]

LORD Jesus, you call us to be watchful in prayer. LORD, have mercy.

You call us to be active in good works. Christ, have mercy.

You call us to be strong in faith, serene in hope, and constant in love. LORD, have mercy.

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray [That we may take Christ’s coming seriously]

All-powerful God,

Increase our strength of will for doing good that Christ may find an eager welcome at his coming and call us to his side in the kingdom of heaven, where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

R: Amen.

FIRST READING Is 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah

You, LORD, are our father, our redeemer you are named forever. Why do you let us wander, O LORD, from your ways, and harden our hearts so that we fear you not? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your heritage. Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, with the mountains quaking before you, while you wrought awesome deeds we could not hope for, such as they had not heard of from of old. No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you doing such deeds for those who wait for him. Would that you might meet us doing right, that we were mindful of you in our ways! Behold, you are angry, and we are sinful; all of us have become like unclean people, all our good deeds are like polluted rags; we have all withered like leaves, and our guilt carries us away like the wind. There is none who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to cling to you; for you have hidden your face from us and have delivered us up to our guilt. Yet, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay and you the potter: we are all the work of your hands.

The Word of the Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

O shepherd of Israel, hearken,

from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.

Rouse your power,

and come to save us.

R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

Once again, O LORD of hosts,

look down from heaven, and see;

take care of this vine,

and protect what your right hand has planted

the son of man whom you yourself made strong.

R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

May your help be with the man of your right hand,

with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.

Then we will no more withdraw from you;

give us new life, and we will call upon your name.

R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

SECOND READING 1 Cor 1: 3-9

A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians

Brothers and sisters: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 Word of the Lord.

R. Thanks be to God.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”

The Gospel of the Lord.

R. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Celebrant: In a world divided by greed and fear, let us ask God to come to our help and bring us back to him.

1. For Christians: That their lives may bear witness to the faith they profess with their lips. [Pause] We pray in faith.

2. For all those who hold positions of trust and responsibility in our society: that they may prove to be good and faithful servants. [Pause] We pray in faith.

3. For those who do dull and repetitive work. [Pause] We pray in faith.

4. For al gathered here: that God may awaken our faith from the sleep of habit and routine. [Pause] We pray in faith.

5. For our dead, those we have loved and those no one remembers: that God may keep them all in his care. [Pause] We pray in faith.

Celebrant: All-powerful God, You are the same yesterday, today, and forever; help us to have confidence in your unchanging love for us, so that we may have the strength to persevere in goodness.

From all you give us we present this bread and wine. As we serve you now, accept our offering and sustain us with your promise of eternal life.

Father, all-powerful and ever-living God, we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord.

When he humbled himself to come among us as a man, he fulfilled the plan you formed long ago and opened for us the way to salvation.

Now we watch for the day, hoping that the salvation promised us will be ours when Christ our Lord will come again in his glory.

And so, with all the choirs of angels in heaven we proclaim your glory and join in their unending hymn of praise: R. Holy. Holy. Holy.

May our communion teach us to love heaven? May its promise and hope guide our way on earth.

Tháng 5 Năm 2012

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