Second Sunday of Advent

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 (JB)

A reading from the prophet Isaiah

Prepare the way for the Lord.

‘Console my people, console them’

says your God.

‘Speak to the heart of Jerusalem

and call to her

that her time of service is ended,

that her sin is atoned for,

that she has received from the hand of the Lord

double punishment for all her crimes.’

A voice cries, ‘Prepare in the wilderness

a way for the Lord.

Make a straight highway for our God

across the desert.

Let every valley be filled in,

every mountain and hill be laid low,

let every cliff become a plain,

and the ridges a valley;

then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed

and all mankind shall see it;

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’

Go up on a high mountain,

joyful messenger to Zion.

Shout with a loud voice,

joyful messenger to Jerusalem.

Shout without fear,

say to the towns of Judah,

‘Here is your God.’

Here is the Lord coming with power,

his arm subduing all things to him.

The prize of his victory is with him,

his trophies all go before him.

He is like a shepherd feeding his flock,

gathering lambs in his arms,

holding them against his breast

and leading to their rest the mother ewes.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her

that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid,

that she has received from the Lord’s hand

double for all her sins.

A voice cries out:

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,

make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill be made low;

the uneven ground shall become level,

and the rough places a plain.

Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,

and all people shall see it together;

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Get you up to a high mountain,

O Zion, herald of good tidings;

lift up your voice with strength,

O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,

lift it up, do not fear;

say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!”

See, the Lord God comes with might,

and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him,

and his recompense before him.

He will feed his flock like a shepherd;

he will gather the lambs in his arms,

and carry them in his bosom,

and gently lead the mother sheep.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 84:9-14 (JB)

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

I will hear what the Lord God has to say,

a voice that speaks of peace,

peace for his people.

His help is near for those who fear him

and his glory will dwell in our land. R.

Mercy and faithfulness have met;

justice and peace have embraced.

Faithfulness shall spring from the earth

and justice look down from heaven. R.

The Lord will make us prosper

and our earth shall yield its fruit.

Justice shall march before him

and peace shall follow his steps. R.

2 Peter 3:8-14 (JB)

A reading from the second letter of St Peter

We wait for new heavens and a new earth.

There is one thing, my friends, that you must never forget: that with the Lord, ‘a day’ can mean a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord is not being slow to carry out his promises, as anybody else might be called slow; but he is being patient with you all, wanting nobody to be lost and everybody to be brought to change his ways. The Day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then with a roar the sky will vanish, the elements will catch fire and fall apart, the earth and all that it contains will be burnt up.

Since everything is coming to an end like this, you should be living holy and saintly lives while you wait and long for the Day of God to come, when the sky will dissolve in flames and the elements melt in the heat. What we are waiting for is what he promised: the new heavens and new earth, the place where righteousness will be at home. So then, my friends, while you are waiting, do your best to live lives without spot or stain so that he will find you at peace.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

2 Peter 3:8-15 (NRSV)

A reading from the second letter of Peter

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.

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.

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.

Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way,

what sort of persons ought you to be

in leading lives of holiness and godliness,

waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God,

because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved,

and the elements will melt with fire?

But, in accordance with his promise,

we wait for new heavens and a new earth,

where righteousness is at home.

Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things,

strive to be found by him at peace,

without spot or blemish;

and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.

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!

Mark 1:1-8 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

Make straight the paths of the Lord.

The beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah:

Look, I am going to send my messenger before you;

he will prepare your way.

A voice cries in the wilderness:

Prepare a way for the Lord,

make his paths straight,

and so it was that John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. All Judaea and all the people of Jerusalem made their way to him, and as they were baptised by him in the river Jordan they confessed their sins. John wore a garment of camel-skin, and he lived on locusts and wild honey. In the course of his preaching he said, ‘Someone is following me, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to kneel down and undo the strap of his sandals. I have baptised you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 1:1-8 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ,

the Son of God.

As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,

who will prepare your way;

the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,”‘

John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness,

proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

And people from the whole Judean countryside

and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him,

and were baptized by him in the river Jordan,

confessing their sins.

Now John was clothed with camel’s hair;

with a leather belt around his waist,

and he ate locusts and wild honey.

He proclaimed,

“The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me;

I am not worthy to stoop down

and untie the thong of his sandals.

I have baptized you with water;

but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.