ADVENT 1 YEAR B Sunday 3rd December
FIRST READING Isaiah 64.1–9
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
so that the mountains would quake at your presence –
as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil –to make your name known to your adversaries,
so that the nations might tremble at your presence!
When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
From ages past no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who works for those who wait for him.
You meet those who gladly do right,
those who remember you in your ways.
But you were angry, and we sinned;
because you hid yourself we transgressed.
We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.
We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
There is no one who calls on your name,
or attempts to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.
Yet, O LORD, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
Do not be exceedingly angry, O LORD,
and do not remember iniquity for ever.
Now consider, we are all your people.
PSALM Psalm 80.1–7, 16–18
R [Restore us, O God of hosts;]
Show the light of your countenance and we shall be saved.
1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock;
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your strength and come to help us. R
[ 3 Restore us, O God of hosts;
show the light of your countenance
and we shall be saved. ]
4 O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people? R
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears;
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
6 You have made us the derision of our neighbours,
and our enemies laugh us to scorn. R
[ 7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
show the light of your countenance
and we shall be saved. ]
16 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand,
the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.
17 And so will we never turn away from you;
give us life, that we may call upon your name. R
[18 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts;
show the light of your countenance
and we shall be saved. ]
SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 1.3–9
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
My brothers and sisters:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus,
for in every way you have been enriched in him,
in speech and knowledge of every kind –
just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you –so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift
as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He will also strengthen you to the end,
so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful;
by him you were called
into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
GOSPEL Mark 13.24–37
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘In those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds”
with great power and glory.
Then he will send out the angels,
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
From the fig tree learn its lesson:
as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves,
you know that summer is near.
So also, when you see these things taking place,
you know that he is near, at the very gates.
Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
But about that day or hour no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son,
but only the Father.
Beware, keep alert;for you do not know when the time will come.
It is like a man going on a journey,
when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge,
each with his work
and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.
Therefore, keep awake –
for you do not know when the master of the house will come,
in the evening, or at midnight,
or at cockcrow, or at dawn,
or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly.
And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.