December 7, 2nd Sunday of Advent

Second Sunday of Advent

Lectionaryand 5

Reading 1 Comfort, give comfort to my
people, says your God.

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated indeed,
she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins.

A voice cries outand
In the desert prepare the
way of the LORD!
Make straight in the
wasteland a highway for our God!Every valley shall be
filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low the rugged land shall be
made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley.

Then the glory of the LORD
shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together for the mouth of the
LORD has spoken.

Go up on to a high
mountain,

andgtZion, herald of glad
tidings cry out at the top of your voice,
Jerusalem, herald of good
news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judahand
Here is your God!

andgtHere comes with power the
Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm here is his reward with him, his
recompense before him.
Like a shepherd he feeds
his flock in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and
leading the ewes with care.

Responsorial Psalm PS
85and9-10, 11-12, 13-14

R/ Lord, let us see your
kindness, and grant us your salvation.

I will hear what God
proclaims the LORD—for he proclaims peace to his people. Near indeed is his
salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land.

R/ Lord, let us see your
kindness, and grant us your salvation. Kindness and truth shall meet justice
and peace shall kiss.

Truth shall spring out of the
earth, and justice shall look down from heaven.

R/ Lord, let us see your
kindness, and grant us your salvation.

The LORD himself will give his
benefits our land shall yield its increase. Justice shall walk before him, and
prepare the way of his steps.

R/ Lord, let us see your
kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Reading 2 2 PT 3and8-14

Do not ignore this one
fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a
thousand years like one day.

The Lord does not delay his
promise, as some regard delay,” but he is patient with you, not wishing that
any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the
Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty
roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything
done on it will be found out.

Since everything is to be
dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be, conducting
yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of
the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and
the elements melted by fire.

But according to his
promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore,
beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or
blemish before him, at peace. Gospel MK 1and1-8

The beginning of the gospel
of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

As it is written in Isaiah
the prophetand Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you he will prepare
your way. A voice of one crying out in the desertand Prepare the way of the
Lord, make straight his paths.” John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming
a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

People of the whole Judean
countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were
being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.

John was clothed in camel’s
hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And
this is what he proclaimedand One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not
worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with
water he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”