Sunday, December 20, 2015: (FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT) Readings for today: Micah 5:1-4A / Hebrews 10:5-10 / Luke 1:39-45:
Readings from: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/122015.cfm (Pics from elsewhere on the internet)
Reading 1 - A reading from the book of the Prophet Micah (Micah 5:1-4A):
Thus says the LORD:
You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah
too small to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel;
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient times.
Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
when she who is to give birth has borne,
and the rest of his kindred shall return
to the children of Israel.
He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
by the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
and they shall remain, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;
he shall be peace.
Responsorial Psalm - (Psalm 80: "Lord, Make Us Turn to You" by Marty Haugen):
From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_dYLs8J8SQ
Lyrics (Verses 1-3) from: http://www.theinterpretersfriend.org/songs/lord-mak-us-trn.html
Re: Lord, make us turn to You, show us Your face and we shall be saved.
1. Shepherd of Israel, hearken from Your throne and shine forth. Oh rouse Your power and come to save us.
Re: Lord, make us turn to You, show us Your face and we shall be saved.
2. We are Your chosen vine; only by your care do we live. Reach out your hand, Oh Lord, unto Your people.
Re: Lord, make us turn to You, show us Your face and we shall be saved.
3. If You will dwell with us, we shall live anew in Your love. Oh shine upon us, great Lord of life.
Re: Lord, make us turn to You, show us Your face and we shall be saved.
Reading 2 - A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews (Hebrews 10:5-10):
Brothers and sisters:
When Christ came into the world, he said:
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.’“
First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings,
holocausts and sin offerings,
you neither desired nor delighted in.”
These are offered according to the law.
Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.”
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this “will,” we have been consecrated
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Alleluia: (Luke 1:38)
R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel - A reading from the holy Gospel according to St. Luke (Luke 1:39-45):
Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled.”
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