Second Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 11:1-10 (JB)

A reading from the prophet Isaiah

He judges the poor with justice.

A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse,

a scion thrusts from his roots:

on him the spirit of the Lord rests,

a spirit of wisdom and insight,

a spirit of counsel and power,

a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

(The fear of the Lord is his breath.)

He does not judge by appearances,

he gives no verdict on hearsay,

but judges the wretched with integrity,

and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land.

His word is a rod that strikes the ruthless;

his sentences bring death to the wicked.

Integrity is the loincloth round his waist,

faithfulness the belt about his hips.

The wolf lives with the lamb,

the panther lies down with the kid,

calf and lion cub feed together with a little boy to lead them.

The cow and the bear make friends, their young lie down together.

The lion eats straw like the ox.

The infant plays over the cobra’s hole;

into the viper’s lair the young child puts his hand.

They do no hurt, no harm, on all my holy mountain,

for the country is filled with the knowledge of the Lord

as the waters swell the sea.

That day, the root of Jesse

shall stand as a signal to the peoples.

It will be sought out by the nations

and its home will be glorious.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Isaiah 11:1-10 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah

On that day:

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,

the spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the spirit of counsel and might,

the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see,

or decide by what his ears hear;

but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,

and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;

he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,

and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,

and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

The wolf shall live with the lamb,

the leopard shall lie down with the kid,

the calf and the lion and the fatling together,

and a little child shall lead them.

The cow and the bear shall graze,

their young shall lie down together;

and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,

and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.

They will not hurt or destroy

on all my holy mountain;

for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord

as the waters cover the sea.

On that day the root of Jesse shall stand

as a signal to the peoples;

the nations shall inquire of him,

and his dwelling shall be glorious.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 71:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17 (JB)

R. Justice shall flourish in his time,

and fullness of peace for ever.

O God, give your judgement to the king,

to a king’s son your justice,

that he may judge your people in justice

and your poor in right judgement. R.

In his days justice shall flourish

and peace till the moon fails:

He shall rule from sea to sea,

from the Great River to earth’s bounds. R.

For he shall save the poor when they cry

and the needy who are helpless.

He will have pity on the weak

and save the lives of the poor. R.

May his name be blessed for ever

and endure like the sun.

Every tribe shall be blessed in him,

all nations bless his name. R.

Romans 15:4-9 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans

Christ, the hope of all people.

Everything that was written long ago in the scriptures was meant to teach us something about hope from the examples scripture gives of how people who did not give up were helped by God. And may he who helps us when we refuse to give up, help you all to be tolerant with each other, following the example of Christ Jesus, so that united in mind and voice you may give glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It can only be to God’s glory, then, for you to treat each other in the same friendly way as Christ treated you. The reason Christ became the servant of circumcised Jews was not only so that God could faithfully carry out the promises made to the patriarchs, it was also to get the pagans to give glory to God for his mercy, as scripture says in one place: For this I shall praise you among the pagans and sing your name.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Romans 15:4-9 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

Whatever was written in former days

was written for our instruction,

so that by steadfastness

and by the encouragement of the scriptures

we might have hope.

May the God of steadfastness and encouragement

grant you to live in harmony with one another,

in accordance with Christ Jesus,

so that together you may with one voice

glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Welcome one another, therefore,

just as Christ has welcomed you,

for the glory of God.

For I tell you

that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised

on behalf of the truth of God

in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,

and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.

As it is written,

“Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,

and sing praises to your name.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Luke 3:4, 6 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:

all people shall see the salvation of God.

Alleluia!

Luke 3:4,6 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:

all people shall see the salvation of God.

Alleluia!

Matthew 3:1-12 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.

In due course John the Baptist appeared; he preached in the wilderness of Judaea and this was his message: ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’ This was the man the prophet spoke of when he said:

A voice cries in the wilderness:

Prepare a way for the Lord,

make his paths straight.

This man John wore a garment made of camel-hair with a leather belt round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judaea and the whole Jordan district made their way to him, and as they were baptised by him in the river Jordan they confessed their sins. But when he saw a number of Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers, who warned you to fly from the retribution that is coming? But if you are repentant, produce the appropriate fruit, and do not presume to tell yourselves, “We have Abraham for our father,” because, I tell you, God can raise children for Abraham from these stones. Even now the axe is laid to the roots of the trees, so that any tree which fails to produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown on the fire. I baptise you in water for repentance, but the one who follows me is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to carry his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand; he will clear his threshing-floor and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 3:1-12 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

In those days John the Baptist

appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming,

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke

when he said,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight.”‘

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair

with a leather belt around his waist,

and his food was locusts and wild honey.

Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea

were going out to him,

and all the region along the Jordan,

and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan,

confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism,

John said to them, “You brood of vipers!

Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

“Bear fruit worthy of repentance.

Do not presume to say to yourselves,

‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’;

for I tell you, God is able from these stones

to raise up children to Abraham.

Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees;

every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit

is cut down and thrown into the fire.

“I baptize you with water for repentance,

but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me;

I am not worthy to carry his sandals.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

His winnowing fork is in his hand,

and he will clear his threshing floor

and will gather his wheat into the granary;

but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.