Year 37 No.
25 2nd Sunday of Advent (B) — Violet
The Voice of
a Gracious God
“C omfort…” Isaiah echoes the
Lord God say, “Comfort!”
The Hebrew word used here often
comes with the feeling of “sorry”—
out of pity or to relent as in Ps
90:13-14, “Relent, O LORD! How
long? Have pity on your servants!
Fill us at daybreak with your mercy,
that all our days we may sing for
joy.” No wonder, Isaiah is indicted
to speak tenderly and to proclaim
an end, a rest (the same root word
for “comfort” in
Hebrew). At a time
when they are
exiled, scattered
and helpless,
overwhelmed by
the loss of their
land, their king, and
their temple, the
comfort brought by
the glory of the Lord
shall be revealed:
“In his arms he
gathers the lambs,
carrying them in his
bosom, and leading
the ewes with care”
(Is 40:11).
As in the days of old, the comfort
John emphasizes is both urgent and
inevitable. Let this be the tone as the
Second Sunday of Advent unfolds.
That as the Lord God has shown
his kindness and saving action
(Responsorial Psalm) to the exiled
in Babylon: their guilt expiated after
receiving double for all her sins (Is
40:2), as well as in the time when
they are under the Roman rule,
the awaited “new heavens and a
new earth in which righteousness
dwells” (2Pt 3:13) unfolds. Here.
Now.
We hear John’s voice in the
wilderness, proclaiming repentance
by Bro. Hansel Mapayo, SSP
and forgiveness of sins. Mark says
John is preparing the way of the
Lord. Earlier, we heard the post
exilic prophet Malachi proclaim,
“I am sending to you Elijah the
prophet, before the day of the
Lord comes” (Mal 3:23 NABRE).
And how is this true to John? The
evangelist Mark shows how the
Isaian text on the forerunner refers
to John, and even Jesus himself in
Matthew affirms John’s role and
message succinctly: “…if you are
willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the
one who is to come. Whoever has
December 10, 2023
ears ought to hear” (Mt 11:14-15).
Yes, we need to hear and see
John’s consoling message. John, in
his witness of lifestyle—he feeds
on locusts and wild honey and
is clothed in camel’s hair, with a
leather belt around his waist—
with his example of humility and
in sheer simplicity, leads many to
repentance even if for some he has
to deal with their unjust and corrupt
ways (Lk 3:12-14). Above all, in a
self-effacing demeanor, he shares
a very important message: While “I
have baptized with water,” Jesus is
the anointed “who will baptize…
with the Holy Spirit” (Mk 1:8). He is
the Lord who comes.
The other word for
Messiah or Anointed
is Comforter. The
compassionate God
has decided to live
among us and later
will send us another
Comforter, the Holy
Spirit!
In this season of
waiting, as we daily live out our
faith in the Lord’s coming, do people
find in us comfort or confusion
(restlessness)? Compassion is a
feeling; but comfort is action. What
kinds of actions are we engaged in
during this season of inner journey?
Buying a lot of things for gift giving?
Or buying essential food for the
needy? While it is time to rearrange
our priorities in life, we heed the
call of the prophet who shares with
us God’s graciousness, that we,
guided by the Spirit, may extend
our hand to our enemies, lend an
ear to crying neighbors, share the
table with strangers, or accompany
people who cry for justice.
 THE INTRODUCTORY RITES
Entrance Antiphon
(Cf. Is 30:19, 30)
(Recited when there is no opening song.)
O people of Sion, behold, the
Lord will come to save the
nations, and the Lord will make
the glory of his voice heard in
the joy of your heart.
Lighting of the Advent Candles
(The lighting of the second candle of
the Advent wreath may be made after
the entrance song, with the following
or any similar prayer:)
P—Father, as we journey down
this Advent road, we relight the
candle of hope, and we light
the candle of peace. Grant us
the courage to make peace:
peace in our hearts, peace
in our homes, peace in our
communities.
All—Amen.
Greeting
(The sign of the cross is made here.)
P—The Lord be with you.
All—And with your spirit.
Introduction
(These [or similar words] may be
used to address the assembly.)
P—John the Baptist appears
in the desert proclaiming a
baptism of repentance for
the forgiveness of sins. The
prophet’s voice should awaken
us from spiritual lukewarmness.
Like the people who listen to
him, we should get up on our
feet and go to meet the Lord.
But first we have to look deep
within us and realize that we
are unprepared to meet him.
The mountains of our pride
and our sinfulness, the valleys
of our preoccupation with the
things of this world, make for
an uneven path. We have to
make ready a straight path
for the Lord by renewal and
conversion.
Penitential Act
P —Brethren (brothers and
sisters), let us acknowledge
our sins, and so prepare
ourselves to celebrate the
sacred mysteries. (Pause)
P—You were sent to heal the
contrite of heart: Lord, have
mercy.
All—Lord, have mercy.
P—You came to call sinners:
Christ, have mercy.
All—Christ, have mercy.
P — You are seated at the
right hand of the Father to
intercede for us: Lord, have
mercy.
All—Lord, have mercy.
P—May almighty God
have mercy on us, forgive
us our sins, and bring us to
everlasting life.
All—Amen.
(The Gloria is not said.)
Collect
P—Let us pray. (Pause)
Almighty and merciful God,
may no earthly undertaking
hinder those who set out in
haste to meet your Son, but
may our learning of heavenly
wisdom gain us admittance to
his company.
Who lives and reigns with
you in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
All—Amen.
THE LITURGY
OF THE WORD
First Reading
(Is 40:1–5, 9–11) (Sit)
From Isaiah’s Book of Consolation,
we hear God’s words of comfort for
his people exiled in Babylon. God
has forgiven their sins and will bring
them back to their homeland. The
call to prepare the way of the Lord
in the desert is echoed in today’s
Gospel.
A reading from the Book of
the Prophet Isaiah
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 out: In the
desert prepare the way of the
L ord ! 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 moun-
tain, Zion, 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
Judah: Here is your God! Here
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.
—The word of the Lord.
All—Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm (Ps 85)
R —Lord, let us see your
kindness, and grant us your
salvation.
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va tion.
1. 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)
2. 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)
3. 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)
Second Reading (2 Pt 3:8–14)
Peter pictures the coming of the
“day of the Lord” and instructs
us to prepare for this day by our
repentance and by our holy and
devout conduct.
A reading from the second
Letter of Saint Peter
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.
—The word of the Lord.
All—Thanks be to God.
Alleluia (Lk 3:4, 6) (Stand)
All—Alleluia, alleluia. Prepare
the way of the Lord, make
straight his paths: all flesh
shall see the salvation of God.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel (Mk 1:1–8)
P—A reading from the holy
Gospel according to Mark
All—Glory to you, O Lord.
THE BEGINNING of the gospel
of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
As it is written in Isaiah the
prophet: Behold, I am sending
my messenger ahead of you; he
will prepare your way. A voice
of one crying out in the desert:
“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 proclaimed: “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.”
—The Gospel of the Lord.
All—Praise to you, Lord Jesus
Christ.
Homily (Sit)
Profession of Faith (Stand)
All—I believe in one God, the
Father almighty, maker of heaven
and earth, of all things visible
and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus
Christ, the Only Begotten Son of
God, born of the Father before
all ages. God from God, Light
from Light, true God from
true God, begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were
made. For us men and for our
salvation he came down from
heaven, (At the words that follow
up to and including and became
man, all bow.) and by the Holy
Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin
Mary, and became man.
For our sake he was crucified
under Pontius Pilate, he suffered
death and was buried, and
rose again on the third day in
accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and
is seated at the right hand of
the Father. He will come again
in glory to judge the living and
the dead and his kingdom will
have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life, who
proceeds from the Father and
the Son, who with the Father and
the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the
prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic,
and apostolic Church. I confess
one Baptism for the forgiveness
of sins and I look forward to the
resurrection of the dead and the
life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayer of the Faithful
P—The Lord is faithful and does
not delay in keeping his promise
of salvation. With confidence,
let us pray to the Father:
R—Father, hear our prayer.
C —For the Church: Like
John the Baptist who pointed
to Christ, may the Church
proclaim with renewed vigor
to the men and women of
today that Jesus Christ is the
Redeemer of humanity and the
Lord of history. We pray: (R)
C—For government and civil
leaders: Like John the Baptist
who professed his unworthiness
to stoop and loosen the thongs
of the Messiah’s sandals, may
they recognize their own
sinfulness and unworthiness
and experience God’s gift of
conversion. We pray: (R)
C—For consecrated men and
women: Like John the Baptist,
may they prepare the way of
the Lord through their acts
of service to the least of our
brothers and sisters. We pray:
(R)
C—For those who, for a long
time, have stayed away from the
sacrament of Reconciliation:
May they experience the season
of Advent as a time of renewing
their relationship with you,
Father, and continuing Christ’s
mission of love and service.
We pray: (R)
C—May our family members,
relatives, and friends who have
died experience everlasting
joy in the company of our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We pray: (R)
C —Let us pray for the urgent
concerns of our community and
our personal intentions (pause).
We pray: (R)
P—Father, without you we can
do nothing for our salvation.
Warm our hearts and strengthen
our resolve that we may live for
you and for one another.
Through Christ our Lord.
All—Amen.
 THE LITURGY OF
THE EUCHARIST
Presentation of the Gifts
(Stand)
P—Pray, brethren…
All—May the Lord accept the
sacrifice at your hands for the
praise and glory of his name,
for our good and the good of
all his holy Church.
Prayer over the Offerings
P—Be pleased, O Lord, with
our humble prayers and
offerings, and, since we have
no merits to plead our cause,
come, we pray, to our rescue
with the protection of your
mercy.
Through Christ our Lord.
All—Amen.
Advent I: The two comings of Christ
P—The Lord be with you.
All—And with your spirit.
P—Lift up your hearts.
All—We lift them up to the Lord.
P—Let us give thanks to the
Lord our God.
All—It is right and just.
P—It is truly right and just,
our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to
give you thanks, Lord, holy
Father, almighty and eternal
God, through Christ our Lord.
For he assumed at his
first coming the lowliness of
human flesh, and so fulfilled
the design you formed long
ago, and opened for us the
way to eternal salvation, that,
when he comes again in glory
and majesty and all is at last
made manifest, we who watch
for that day may inherit the
great promise in which now
we dare to hope.
And so, with Angels and
Archangels, with Thrones
and Dominions, and with
all the hosts and Powers of
heaven, we sing the hymn
of your glory, as without end
we acclaim:
All—Holy, Holy, Holy... (Kneel)
Acclamation (Stand)
All—When we eat this Bread
and drink this Cup, we
proclaim your Death, O Lord,
until you come again.
THE COMMUNION RITE
The Lord’s Prayer
All—Our Father…
P—Deliver us, Lord…
All—For the kingdom, the
power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Invitation to Peace
Invitation to Communion
(Kneel)
P—Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away
the sins of the world. Blessed
are those called to the supper
of the Lamb.
All—Lord, I am not worthy
that you should enter under
my roof, but only say the
word and my soul shall be
healed.
Communion Antiphon
(Bar 5:5; 4:36)
Jerusalem, arise and stand
upon the heights, and behold
the joy which comes to you
from God.
Prayer after Communion
(Stand)
P—Let us pray. (Pause)
Replenished by the food
of spiritual nourishment, we
humbly beseech you, O Lord,
that, through our partaking in
this mystery, you may teach
us to judge wisely the things
of earth and hold firm to the
things of heaven.
Through Christ our Lord
All—Amen.
THE CONCLUDING RITES
P—The Lord be with you.
All—And with your spirit.
Solemn Blessing
P—Bow down for the blessing.
(Pause)
May the almighty and
merciful God, by whose grace
you have placed your faith in
the First Coming of his Only
Begotten Son and yearn for his
coming again, sanctify you by
the radiance of Christ’s Advent
and enrich you with his blessing.
All—Amen.
P—As you run the race of this
present life, may he make you
firm in faith, joyful in hope,
and active in charity.
All—Amen.
P—So that, rejoicing now with
devotion at the Redeemer’s
coming in the flesh, you may be
endowed with the rich reward
of eternal life when he comes
again in majesty.
All—Amen.
P—And may the blessing of
almighty God, the Father, and
the Son, (†) and the Holy Spirit,
come down on you and remain
with you for ever.
All—Amen.
Dismissal
P—Go forth, the Mass is ended.
All—Thanks be to God.