Fourth Sunday of Advent
Processional Hymn - Antiphon and O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
(cantor) Drop down dew from above, you heavens and let clouds rain down the Just One.
(all) O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of humankind.
O bid our sad divisions cease,
And be for us our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to you Israel.
(cantor) Let the earth be opened, and bring forth a Savior.
(all) O come, O com Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That morns in lonely exile here,
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to you, O Israel.
First Reading - Micah 5:1-4a
Thus says the LORD:
You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; whose origin is from of old, from ancient times.
Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time when she who is to give birth has borne, and the rest of his kindred shall return to the children of Israel.
He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock by the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD, his God; and they shall remain, for now his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth; he shall be peace.
Responsorial Psalm - Psalm 80
R. LORD, make us turn to you; show us your face and we shall be saved.
Shepherd of Israel, hearken from your throne and shine forth,
O rouse your power, and come to save us.
R. LORD, make us turn to you; show us your face and we shall be saved.
We are your chosen vine, only by your care do we live,
Reach out your hand, O LORD, unto your people.
R. LORD, make us turn to you; show us your face and we shall be saved.
If you dwell with us, we shall live anew in your love,
O shine upon us, great LORD of life.
R. LORD, make us turn to you; show us your face and we shall be saved.
Second Reading - Hebrews 10:5-10
Brothers and sisters:
When Christ came into the world, he said:
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God.”
First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.”
These are offered according to the law.
Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.”
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Gospel - Luke 1:39-45
Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said,
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
Prayer for Our Lady of Angels Parish
Heavenly Father, we thank you for gathering us together and calling us to serve as your disciples.
You have charged us through your Son, Jesus, with the great mission of evangelizing and witnessing your love to the world.
Send your Holy Spirit to guide us as we discern your will for the spiritual renewal of our parish.
Give us strength, courage, and clear vision as we use our gifts to serve you.
We entrust our parish family to the care of Mary, our mother, and ask for her intercession and guidance, as we strive to build a parish that loves God, embraces all people, and shares the Gospel joyfully.
Amen.
Offertory Hymn - Gabriel’s Message
The angel Gabriel from Heaven came,
His wings as drifted snow,
His eyes as flame, “All hail,” said he,
“Thou lowly maiden Mary,
“Most highly favored lady, Gloria!”
“For know a blessed Mother thou shalt be,
“All generations laud and honor thee,
“Thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold,
“Most highly favored lady, Gloria!”
Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,
“To me be as it pleaseth God,” she said,
“My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name.”
“Most highly favored lady, Gloria!”
Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born
In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,
And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say:
“Most highly favored lady, Gloria!”
Communion Hymn - My Soul in Stillness Waits
For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits.
Truly my hope is in you.
O Lord of Light, our only hope of glory, your radiance shines in all who look to you.
Come light the hearts of all in dark and shadow.
For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits.
Truly my hope is in you.
O Spring of Joy, rain down upon our spirits. Our thirsty hearts are yearning for your Word.
Come, make us whole; be comfort to our hearts.
For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits.
Truly my hope is in you.
O Root of Life, implant your seed within us, and in your advent draw us all to you,
Our hope reborn in dying and in rising.
For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits.
Truly my hope is in you.
O Key of Knowledge, guide us in our pilgrimage, we ever seek, yet unfulfilled remain.
Open to us the pathway of your peace.
For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits.
Truly my hope is in you.
Come, let us bow before the God who made us.
Let every heart be opened to the Lord, for we are all the people of his hand.
For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits.
Truly my hope is in you.
Here we shall meet the makers of the heavens, creator of the mountains and the seas,
Lord of the stars and present to us now.
For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits. Truly my hope is in you.
Recessional Hymn - O Come Divine Messiah
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
O come, Desired of nations,
Whom priest and prophet long foretold,
Come break the captive fetters;
Redeem the long-lost fold.
Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
O come in peace and meekness,
For lowly will your cradle be;
Though clothed in human weakness
We shall your Godhead see.
Dear Savior haste;
Come, come to earth,
Dispel the night and show your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph,
And sadness flee away.
