Fourth Sunday of Advent

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16 (JB)

A reading from the second book of Samuel

The kingdom of David will be established for ever in the sight of the Lord.

Once David had settled into his house and the Lord had given him rest from all the enemies surrounding him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘Look, I am living in a house of cedar while the ark of God dwells in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go and do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.’

But that very night the word of the Lord came to Nathan:

‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus the Lord speaks: Are you the man to build me a house to dwell in? I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel; I have been with you on all your expeditions; I have cut off all your enemies before you. I will give you fame as great as the fame of the greatest on earth. I will provide a place for my people Israel; I will plant them there and they shall dwell in that place and never be disturbed again; nor shall the wicked continue to oppress them as they did, in the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel; I will give them rest from all their enemies. The Lord will make you great; the Lord will make you a House. And when your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. I will be a father to him and he a son to me. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever.”‘

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16 (NRSV)

A reading from the second book of Samuel

Now when David, the king, was settled in his house,

and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies

around him,

the king said to the prophet Nathan,

“See now, I am living in a house of cedar,

but the ark of God stays in a tent.”

Nathan said to the king,

“Go, do all that you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.”

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan:

“Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord:

Are you the one to build me a house to live in?

I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep

to be prince over my people Israel:

and I have been with you wherever you went,

and have cut off all your enemies from before you;

and I will make for you a great name,

like the name of the great ones of the earth.

“And I will appoint a place for my people Israel

and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place,

and be disturbed no more;

and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly,

from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel;

and I will give you rest from all your enemies.

“Moreover the Lord declares to you, David,

that the Lord will make you a house.

When your days are fulfilled

and you lie down with your ancestors,

I will raise up your offspring after you,

who shall come forth from your body,

and I will establish his kingdom.

“I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me.

Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me;

your throne, David, shall be established forever.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 88:2-5, 27, 29 (JB)

R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord;

through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.

Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever,

that your truth is firmly established as the heavens. R.

‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one;

I have sworn to David my servant:

I will establish your dynasty for ever

and set up your throne through all ages.’ R.

He will say to me: ‘You are my father,

my God, the rock who saves me.’

I will keep my love for him always;

for him my covenant shall endure. R.

Romans 16:25-27 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans

The mystery kept secret for endless ages is now revealed.

Glory to him who is able to give you the strength to live according to the Good News I preach, and in which I proclaim Jesus Christ, the revelation of a mystery kept secret for endless ages, but now so clear that it must be broadcast to pagans everywhere to bring them to the obedience of faith. This is only what scripture has predicted, and it is all part of the way the eternal God wants things to be. He alone is wisdom; give glory therefore to him through Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Romans 16:25-27 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

To God who is able to strengthen you

according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,

according to the revelation of the mystery

that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed,

and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles,

according to the command of the eternal God,

to bring about the obedience of faith-

to the only wise God,

through Jesus Christ,

to whom be the glory forever! Amen.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Luke 1:38 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the servant of the Lord:

may his will for me be done.

Alleluia!

Matthew 1:23 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

A virgin will give birth to a son;

his name will be Emmanuel: God is with us.

Alleluia!

Luke 1:26-38 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

You will conceive and bear a son.

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:26-38 (NRSV)

A reading from the gospel according to Luke

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God

to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,

to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph,

of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

And the angel came to Mary and said,

“Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.”

But she was much perplexed by his words

and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

The angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary,

for you have found favour with God.

And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,

and you will name him Jesus.

He will be great,

and will be called the Son of the Most High,

and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.

He will reign over the house of Jacob forever,

and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary said to the angel,

“How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

The angel said to her,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;

therefore the child to be born will be holy;

he will be called Son of God.

“And now,

your relative Elizabeth in her old age

has also conceived a son;

and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.

For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Then Mary said,

“Here am I, the servant of the Lord;

let it be with me according to your word.”

Then the angel departed from her.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.