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Today
is: December 21st Fourth Sunday of Advent:
First Reading: 2 Samuel 7.1-11, 16 .
A reading from the second book of Samuel. 1 Now
when David, the king was settled in his house, and
the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies
around him, 2 the king said to the prophet Nathan,
'See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the
ark of God stays in a tent.' 3 Nathan said to the
king, 'Go, do all that you have in mind; for the
Lord is with you.' 4 But that same night the word
of the Lord came to Nathan: 5 Go and tell my servant
David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build
me a house to live in? 6 I have not lived in a house
since the day I brought up the people of Israel
from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about
in a tent and a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have moved
about among all the people of Israel, did I ever
speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel,
whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying,
'Why have you not built me a house of cedar?' 8
Now therefore you shall say to my servant David:
Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the
pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over
my people Israel; 9 and I have been with you wherever
you went, and have cut off all your enemies from
before you; and I will make for you a great name,
like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10
And I will appoint a place for my people Israel
and will plant them, so that they may live in their
own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers
shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from
the time that I appointed judges over my people
Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies.
Moreover the Lord declares to you, David, that the
Lord will make you a house. 16 Your house and your
kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your
throne shall be established for ever.
Psalm: 89 1-4, 19-26
My
song shall be always of the loving-kindness / of
the / Lord:
with
my mouth will I proclaim your faithfulness through/out
all / gene/rations.
I
will declare that your love is es/tablished for
/ ever:
you
have set your faithfulness as / firm / as the /
heavens.
For
you said: 'I have made a covenant / with my / chosen
one:
I
have sworn an / oath to / David my / servant:
'
"Your seed will I es/tablish for / ever:
and
build up your throne for / all / gene/rations."
'
You
spoke once in a vision and said to your / faithful
/ people::
'I
have set a youth above the mighty; I have raised
a / young man / over the / people.
'I
have found / David my / servant:
with
my holy / oil have / I a/nointed him.
'My
hand shall / hold him / fast:
and
my / arm shall / strengthen / him.
'No
enemy / shall de/ceive him:
nor
any / wicked / person af/flict him.
'I
will strike down his foes be/fore his / face:
and
/ beat down / those that / hate him.
'My
truth also and my steadfast love / shall be / with
him:
and
in my name shall his / head / be ex/alted.
'I
will set his dominion up/on the / sea:
and
his / right hand up/on the / rivers.
'He
shall call to me, / "You are my / Father:
my
God, and the / rock of / my sal/vation; "
Second Reading: Romans 16.25-27
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
25 Let us give glory to God! He is able to make
you stand firm in your faith, according to the Good
News I preach about Jesus Christ and according to
the revelation of the secret truth which was hidden
for long ages in the past. 26 Now, however,
that truth has been brought out into the open through
the writings of the prophets; and by the command
of the eternal God it is made known to all nations,
so that all may believe and obey. 27 To
the only God, who alone is all-wise, be glory through
Jesus Christ forever! Amen.
Gospel: Luke 1.26-38
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according
to Luke. 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel
was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph,
of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28 And he came to her and said, 'Greetings, favoured
one! The Lord is with you.' 29 But she was much
perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of
greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her,
'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour
with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your
womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son
of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to
him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will
reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his
kingdom there will be no end.' 34 Mary said to the
angel, 'How can this be, since I am a virgin?' 35
The angel said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come
upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow
you; therefore the child to be born will be holy;
he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative
Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son;
and this is the sixth month for her who was said
to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible
with God.' 38 Then Mary said, 'Here am I, the servant
of the Lord; let it be with me according to your
word.' Then the angel departed from her.
Post Communion Prayer: Heavenly Father, who chose
the Blessed Virgin Mary to be the mother of the
promised Saviour: fill us your servants with your
grace, that in all things we may embrace your holy
will and with her rejoice in your salvation; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
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