First Sunday of Advent
Year A
Collect
Almighty God,
give us grace to cast away
the works of darkness
and to put on the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life,
in which your Son Jesus Christ
came to us in great humility;
that on the last day,
when he shall come again
in his glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive
and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Additional Collect
Almighty God,
as your kingdom dawns,
turn us from the darkness of sin
to the light of holiness,
that we may be ready to meet you
in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
First Reading
Isaiah 2.1-5
1The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2In days to come the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. 3Many peoples shall come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 5O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!
Psalm 122
R I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’
1 I was glad when they said to me, *
‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’
2 And now our feet are standing *
within your gates, O Jerusalem; R
3 Jerusalem, built as a city that is at unity in itself.
4 Thither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, *
as is decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
5 For there are set the thrones of judgement, *
the thrones of the house of David. R
6 O pray for the peace of Jerusalem: *
‘May they prosper who love you.
7 ‘Peace be within your walls *
and tranquillity within your palaces.’ R
8 For my kindred and companions’ sake, *
I will pray that peace be with you.
9 For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, *
I will seek to do you good. R
Second Reading
Romans 13.11-14
11Brothers and sisters, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; 13let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. 14Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia. Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 24.36-44
Jesus spoke to his disciples: 36‘About that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42Keep awake, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.’
Post Communion
O Lord our God,
make us watchful and keep us faithful
as we await the coming of your Son our Lord;
that, when he shall appear,
he may not find us sleeping in sin
but active in his service
and joyful in his praise;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you,
scatter the darkness from before your path,
and make you ready to meet him when he comes in glory;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
Copyright acknowledgement (where not already indicated above):
Some material included in this service is copyright: © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA
Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops' Council 2000
Some material included in this service is copyright: © The Archbishops' Council 2002
Blessing (1st Sun. of Advent until Christmas Eve) © The Crown/Cambridge University Press: The Book of Common Prayer (1662)
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