SPIRITUAL COMMUNION Advent 3 – December 13, 2020

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

Advent 3 – December 13, 2020

Celebrant: BLESSED BE GOD, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

People: And blessed be his kingdom, now and forever. Amen.

Celebrant: COLLECT

O Lord Jesus Christ, you sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise make ready your way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient toward the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world, we may be found a people acceptable in your sight; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, now and forever.  Amen.

THE LESSONS

FIRST LESSON:

A Reading from Isaiah 65:17-25

17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress. 20 No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old man who does not fill out his days, for the child shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity;[a] for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord, and their children with them. 24 Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, says the Lord.”

Here ends the reading.

Response: Thanks be to God

PSALM 126

1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,[a] we were like those who dream.

2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

3 The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.

4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like the watercourses in the Negeb!

5 May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy!

6 He that goes forth weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

SECOND LESSON:

A Reading from 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

12 But we beseech you, brethren, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit, 20 do not despise prophesying, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good, 22 abstain from every form of evil. 23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. 24 He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. 25 Brethren, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. 27 I adjure you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the brethren. 28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Here ends the reading.

Response: Thanks be to God

The Holy GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John 3:22-30

Response: Glory to you, Lord Christ.

22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea; there he remained with them and baptized. 23 John also was baptizing at Ae′non near Salim, because there was much water there; and people came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been put in prison.

25 Now a discussion arose between John’s disciples and a Jew over purifying. 26 And they came to John, and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, here he is, baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “No one can receive anything except what is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him. 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice; therefore this joy of mine is now full. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Response: Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Celebrant: Homily

Celebrant: Let us confess our faith in the words of the Apostle’s Creed

THE APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the Holy Spirit

and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried.

He descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

Celebrant: PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

In your own words, pray for your own needs, for those on your heart, for the peace of

the world, and for the Church.

Celebrant: ACT OF CONTRITION

Let us humbly confess our sins to Almighty God:

O GOD, We are VERY SORRY that we have sinned against you and for all the wrongs we have done and the good we have not done.

Take a moment in silence to share your confession to God with these words in your heart:

Especially I confess_______________________________.

Everyone: Forgive us for Jesus' sake, and grant us strength and wisdom to amend our lives. Amen.

Everyone:

LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy Name,

thy kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those

who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen

Everyone:

Dear Jesus, we believe that you are truly present in the Holy Sacrament. We love you above all things, and we desire to possess you within our souls. And since we cannot now receive you sacramentally, we beseech you to come spiritually into our hearts. We unite ourselves to you, together with all your faithful people gathered around every altar of your Church, and we embrace you with all the affections of our souls. Never permit us to be separated from you.  Amen.

COME LORD JESUS, and dwell in our hearts in the fullness of your strength; be our wisdom and guide us in right pathways; conform our lives and actions to the image of your holiness; and, in the power of your gracious might, rule over every hostile power that threatens or disturbs the growth of your kingdom, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Priest’s Blessing:

AND MAY THE PEACE OF GOD, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be with you now and always, Amen.

ANIMA CHRISTI

SOUL of Christ, sanctify me Body of Christ, save me Blood of Christ, inebriate me Water from the side of Christ, wash me Passion of Christ, strengthen me O good Jesus, hear me Within Thy wounds, hide me Separated from Thee let me never be From the malignant enemy, defend me At the hour of death, call me To come to Thee, bid me That I may praise Thee in the company Of Thy Saints for all eternity. Amen.

Discussion Questions for 3 Advent

1. Today’s Collect describes the prophets as messengers sent by God “to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation”. How do you understand repentance as preparation? Specifically, preparation for salvation, or for God’s action?

2. In Isaiah we heard a prophesy of God creating new heavens and a new earth, which is then described. Considering this in relation to our NT understanding on the Kingdom of God or eternal life, what do you think is meant by the emphasis on NEW?

3. In our Epistle, Paul writes “may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 5:23b)”. Without laboring over the distinction between spirit and soul, how do you understand keeping blameless both inside and in the body?