Readings

The First Sunday of Advent

    The Collect of the Day

    First Sunday of Advent

    Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

    Psalms

    146

    Lauda, anima meaBCP p. 803

    1Hallelujah! Praise the Lord, O my soul! *I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

    2Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, *for there is no help in them.

    3When they breathe their last, they return to earth, *and in that day their thoughts perish.

    4Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! *whose hope is in the Lord their God;

    5Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; *who keeps his promise for ever;

    6Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *and food to those who hunger.

    7The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind; *the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;

    8The Lord loves the righteous; the Lord cares for the stranger; *he sustains the orphan and widow, but frustrates the way of the wicked.

    9The Lord shall reign for ever, *your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Hallelujah!

    147

    Laudate DominumBCP p. 804

    1Hallelujah! How good it is to sing praises to our God! *how pleasant it is to honor him with praise!

    2The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem; *he gathers the exiles of Israel.

    3He heals the brokenhearted *and binds up their wounds.

    4He counts the number of the stars *and calls them all by their names.

    5Great is our Lord and mighty in power; *there is no limit to his wisdom.

    6The Lord lifts up the lowly, *but casts the wicked to the ground.

    7Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; *make music to our God upon the harp.

    8He covers the heavens with clouds *and prepares rain for the earth;

    9He makes grass to grow upon the mountains *and green plants to serve mankind.

    10He provides food for flocks and herds *and for the young ravens when they cry.

    11He is not impressed by the might of a horse; *he has no pleasure in the strength of a man;

    12But the Lord has pleasure in those who fear him, *in those who await his gracious favor.

    13Worship the Lord, O Jerusalem; *praise your God, O Zion;

    14For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; *he has blessed your children within you.

    15He has established peace on your borders; *he satisfies you with the finest wheat.

    16He sends out his command to the earth, *and his word runs very swiftly.

    17He gives snow like wool; *he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.

    18He scatters his hail like bread crumbs; *who can stand against his cold?

    19He sends forth his word and melts them; *he blows with his wind, and the waters flow.

    20He declares his word to Jacob, *his statutes and his judgments to Israel.

    21He has not done so to any other nation; *to them he has not revealed his judgments. Hallelujah!

    Daily Office Readings

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    2 Pet. 3:1-10

    1 This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you; in them I am trying to arouse your sincere intention by reminding you 2 that you should remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles. 3 First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors died, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation!” 5 They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water, 6 through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the godless. 8 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.

    Isa. 1:1-9

    1 The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. 3 The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib; but Israel does not know, my people do not understand. 4 Ah, sinful nation, people laden with iniquity, offspring who do evil, children who deal corruptly, who have forsaken the Lord, who have despised the Holy One of Israel, who are utterly estranged! 5 Why do you seek further beatings? Why do you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 6 From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and bleeding wounds; they have not been drained, or bound up, or softened with oil. 7 Your country lies desolate, your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence aliens devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners. 8 And daughter Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a shelter in a cucumber field, like a besieged city. 9 If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we would have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah.

    Matt. 25:1-13

    1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13 Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.