The Lessons

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the
Second Sunday of Advent
December 7, 2003

The First Lesson Baruch 5:1-9
Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem, and put on forever the beauty of the glory from God. Put on the robe of the righteousness that comes from God; put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting; for God will show your splendor everywhere under heaven. For God will give you evermore the name, "Righteous Peace, Godly Glory." Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height; look toward the east, and see your children gathered from west and east at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that God has remembered them. For they went out from you on foot, led away by their enemies; but God will bring them back to you, carried in glory, as on a royal throne. For God has ordered that every high mountain and the everlasting hills be made low and the valleys filled up, to make level ground, so that Israel may walk safely in the glory of God. The woods and every fragrant tree have shaded Israel at God's command. For God will lead Israel with joy, in the light of his glory, with the mercy and righteousness that come from him.

The Psalm In convertendo Psalm 126 BCP 782

1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, *
then were we like those who dream.

2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, *
and our tongue with shouts of joy. [Antiphon]

3 Then they said among the nations, *
"The LORD has done great things for them."

5 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, *
like the watercourses of the Negev. [Antiphon]

6 Those who sowed with tears *
will reap with songs of joy.

7 Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, *
will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves. [Antiphon]

We will print the epistle reading in Spanish each week and will, from time to time, read the lesson in Spanish in lieu of the English translation. This is a sign of hospitality toward Spanish speakers and a recognition that we are worshipping in a multi-cultural multi-lingual environment in Austin.

La Segunda Lectura Filipenses 1: 1-11
Pablo y Timoteo, siervos de Cristo Jesús, saludan a los que en la ciudad de Filipos pertenecen al pueblo santo por estar unidos a Cristo Jesús, es decir, a toda la comunidad con los que la presiden y los diáconos. Que Dios nuestro Padre y el Señor Jesucristo derramen su gracia y su paz sobre ustedes. Cada vez que me acuerdo de ustedes doy gracias a mi Dios, y cuando oro, siempre pido con alegría por todos ustedes;pues ustedes se han hecho solidarios con la causa del evangelio, desde el primer día hasta hoy.Estoy seguro de que Dios, que comenzó a hacer su buena obra en ustedes, la irá llevando a buen fin hasta el día en que Jesucristo regrese.Es muy justo que yo piense así de todos ustedes, porque los llevo dentro de mi corazón y porque todos ustedes son solidarios conmigo de la bondad que Dios me ha mostrado, ya sea que esté yo en la cárcel o que me presente delante de las autoridades para defender y confirmar el anuncio del evangelio.Pues Dios sabe cuánta nostalgia siento de todos ustedes, con el tierno amor que me infunde Cristo Jesús.Pido en mi oración que su amor siga creciendo más y más todavía, y que Dios les dé sabiduría y entendimiento,para que sepan escoger siempre lo mejor. Así podrán vivir una vida limpia, y avanzar sin tropiezos hasta el día en que Cristovuelva;pues ustedes presentarán una abundante cosecha de buenasacciones gracias a Jesucristo, para honra y gloria de Dios.

The Second Lesson Phillipians 1:1-11
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God's grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

The Gospel Luke 3:1-6
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

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Advent Greenery on the Altar is given to the Glory of God by
Mary Nell Frucella in memory of Jack Frucella’s birthday