Greeting (See Second Reading)
May our love for one another prepare us for the Day of the Lord, when Jesus Christ returns. May his grace and love always be with you. R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
- Signs of Hope
Vatican II has restored the meaning of Advent from a season of penance and conversion into its original purpose: a time of hope. We remember the coming of Christ, and we know he has to come more deeply in our Church and in our world. To dispose us to do this we need conversion, of course, but we need especially hope that, notwithstanding everything to the contrary, his kingdom will come. To deepen that hope, we have to learn to see the signs that this hope is already present among us. Let our Lord open our eyes to these signs.
- Remove the Obstacles from the Road
Tremendous amounts of money are spent to build better roads, to have better communications, but there still remain a lot of obstacles among people and even nations to communicate with one another. In the same way there are still many obstacles to the coming of our Savior in our world. People put up roadblocks and we have to remove them, so that his mercy and freedom, his justice and love may reach all people. Ah, if only all could encounter the Savior and experience God’s salvation in him and at work in us too! We ask Jesus our Lord in this Eucharist that we may be the road to him and that we may bring him near to people.
Penitential Act
- Signs of Hope
Are we really people of hope, with a faith capable of changing this world? Let us examine ourselves before the Lord. (pause)
Lord Jesus, you became one of us to make us capable of love and hope: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you rely on us and you give us the will and the strength to make this world God’s world: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you will come in glory to crown your own work in us: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
In your merciful kindness, Lord, forgive us all our sins and make us look to the present and the future with an unflagging hope. Lead us to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
- Remove the Obstacles from the Road
We are people of the road, pilgrims on the way, and we sometimes stumble and fall. We now ask the Lord to forgive us. (pause)
Lord Jesus, you brought us freedom and justice and opened wide for us the way to the Father and to people: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you showed to us the path to the peace of forgiveness: Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you lead us on the road of love and generosity and you want to bring your salvation to all: Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord, and fill us with the joy of your pardon. Wipe away the tears of our sorrow and make us sing of the gladness of everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray that we may prepare the road for the Lord’s coming (pause) God our Father, we know today how to pierce mountains and level hills to build highways, but we have lost the way to each other’s heart and to you. Let your Son come among us to make us inventive and daring enough to build roads of justice and love that make us encounter one another and you, our living God. We ask you this in the name of him whom we expect and who is waiting for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
First Reading: God Will Save His Scattered People
The prophet announces a message of hope: God will lead his scattered people back to their country and to himself. They will become shining signs of God’s salvation.
Reading 1: Baruch 5:1-9
Second Reading: Prepare for the Day of Christ
In a warm letter, Paul thanks the Christians of Philippi for their hospitality to himself and to the gospel. He asks them and us to prepare for Christ’s coming by means of an attentive, ever-growing love.
Reading 2: Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11
Gospel: Prepare the Way of the Lord
God began his salvation history with his new people when John the Baptist announced the coming of Jesus. Then, as now, people have to prepare for the Lord’s coming. If we prepare the way, all will see how God saves.
Gospel: Luke 3:1-6
Intercessions
Let us pray in trusting hope that all people may see and accept the salvation which Jesus offers to all. Let us say:
R/ Come, Lord, wait no longer.
– For the pope, bishops, priests and lay leaders, that they may strengthen us in our faith and help us to hasten the Lord’s coming, let us pray:
R/ Come, Lord, wait no longer.
– For all the faithful spread over the whole world, that they may be light for our times, to keep faith and hope alive and active, and to work for more justice and honesty, let us pray:
R/ Come, Lord, wait no longer.
– For all those who do not believe in God, that they too may place all their potentials in the service of people and the whole human community, let us pray:
R/ Come, Lord, wait no longer.
– For all those afraid of the future, that they may put aside their fears and distress and learn to hope in God and trust in his promises, let us pray:
R/ Come, Lord, wait no longer.
– For all of us gathered here, that our eyes may be open and our hearts vigilant to recognize and receive Christ our Lord when he comes to encounter us, let us pray:
R/ Come, Lord, wait no longer.
Lord Jesus Christ, give us the will and the courage to remove the obstacles that separate us from each other and to level the road for your coming. Stay with us, now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God, in these signs of bread and wine you reassure us that your Son will soon be among us. May we be the humble servants of the light and joy and the great hope for which humanity is waiting. May our lives proclaim the message that you are near to us in Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord for ever and ever. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
We could not find the way to God by ourselves. He has sent us Jesus as our Way and as our guide on that road. Through Jesus, let us thank the Father.
Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer
Let us pray to our Father in heaven that we may seek his will and sow the seeds of his kingdom: R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil and give us dedicated men and women to prepare that peace which is the sign of the presence of your Son on earth. Turn our hearts to you and free us from sin, as we wait in joyful hope for the full coming among us of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation to Communion
This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are we to be invited to prepare the way for his coming, that people all over the world may see his salvation. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
Lord, God of hope, in this Eucharist we have celebrated again the coming of your Son in our midst. Let this brief encounter with him refresh and restore us to become humble road signs to a justice, a peace, a dignity and a joy that far surpass our powers, but which can be shared by all if we let your Son go with us all the way to you, our God for ever and ever. R/ Amen.
Blessing
To be a highway to God, level, smooth, and straight, we need to become more Christ-like ourselves. We can show others the road to Christ and prepare the way for his full coming only if we ourselves take his gospel seriously, if the Lord becomes visible in us: his goodness, his compassion, his love, his concern for justice and truth. May God give you this strength and bless you all: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Let us go with one another the way of the Lord. R/ Thanks be to God.
Commentary
Mountains will be flattened, by His Word
Thanks to the attempts of Luke to situate the preaching of John the Baptist to the events in history, today the Biblical scholars are able to calculate the period of the life and mission of John and Jesus. The second Sunday of Advent calls our attention on the mission of John the Baptist. Similar to the call of many of the Old Testament prophets, Luke narrates the call of John by saying, “The Word of God came to John, the son of Zachariah in the desert.”
The desert is a special place to listen to God's voice. Archaeological researches have discovered traces of Jewish communities who lead ascetic life in the desert, awaiting the coming of the Messiah. Desert has been identified as a privileged place for seeking union with God. Perhaps John was part of this group, who took up living in the desert a way of life for them. It is here that the Word of God comes to John. Although life in the desert called for austerity, it had its own comfort level. The life of the Baptist would have been relatively peaceful and secure had he not leave the desert behind.
Instead, John did not hesitate to leave his comfort space and heed the call of God.
He obeys and immediately proclaims the good news in the towns bordering the Jordan.
God's call is irresistible. Numerous stories of God’s call in the Old Testament speak of how the prophets and the handpicked people of God tried to resist God's call. Moses said, he was stutterer, Jeremiah said, he was young, Jonah wanted to flee… yet God prevailed! Same has been the case of Countless holy men and women in the history of the Church.
And so, John left behind the comfort of his desert retreat and plunged himself into the ministry of preparing the way for the Messiah. In John, the voice of prophecy is once again revived. The people feel something new in the air. Exciting things are in store ahead because the Promised One is soon to come.
There are many ways we invent for the Lord to come to save us. but these ways often have nothing to do with the Gospel. All these separations between peoples, between cultures, will be flattened. Respect for all cultures will not cause wars.
When God calls us, are we ready to give up our comfortable space? Today, let us recall the many times that we are called to do a ministry on behalf of God. What was our response? May we have the courage to do what God wants us to do in obedience to His invitation to serve.
