O come, all ye faithful,
Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him
Born the King of Angels:

O come, let us adore him, O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

God of God,
Light of Light,
Lo! he abhors not the Virgin’s womb;
Very God,
Begotten, not created:

See how the Shepherds
Summoned to his cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear
We too will thither
Bend our joyful footsteps:

Lo! star-led chieftains,
Magi, Christ adoring,
Offer him incense, gold, and myrrh;
We to the Christ Child
Bring our heart’s oblations:

Child, for us sinners
Poor and in the manger,
Fain we embrace thee, with awe and love;
Who would not love thee,
Loving us so dearly?

Sing, choirs of Angels,
Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;
Glory to God
In the Highest:

Yea, Lord, we greet thee
Born this happy morning,
Jesu, to thee be glory given;
Word of the Father
Now in flesh appearing:

Adeste fideles (13th cent.)
trans. Frederick Oakeley 1802–80

Christ the grace of God has dawned upon the world with healing for all.

Silence

Let us bring our weaknesses and infirmities to the Lord,
confessing our sins in penitence and faith. 

Merciful God,
our maker and our judge,
we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,
and in what we have failed to do:
we have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves;
we repent, and are sorry for all our sins.
Father, forgive us.
Strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God,
who has promised forgiveness
to all who turn to him in faith:
pardon you and set you free from all your sins,
strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in eternal life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Glory to God in the highest,
and peace to God's people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King,
almighty God and Father,
we worship you, we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Let us pray.

Eternal God, who made this most holy night
to shine with the brightness of your one true light:
bring us, who have known the revelation of that light on earth,
to see the radiance of your heavenly glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, an heir given to us; upon whose shoulders rests authority; and who is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace; whose authority shall grow continually. And there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and over David’s kingdom, which will be established and upheld with justice and with righteousness from this time onwards and for evermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

For the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1. O sing unto the Lord a new song : for he hath done marvellous things.
2. With his own right hand, and with his holy arm : hath he gotten himself the victory.
3. The Lord declared his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.
4. He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel : and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.
5. Shew yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands : sing, rejoice, and give thanks.
6. Praise the Lord upon the harp : sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.
7. With trumpets also and shawms : O shew yourselves joyful before the Lord the King.
8. Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is : the round world, and they that dwell therein.
9. Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord : for he is come to judge the earth.
10. With righteousness shall he judge the world : and the people with equity.

A reading from the letter of Paul to Titus.

The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who was given for us that we might be redeemed from all iniquity and purified, Jesus’ own people, who are zealous for good deeds.

For the word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia

I proclaim to you good news of great joy:
today a Saviour is born for us, Christ the Lord.

Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

For the Gospel of the Lord,

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

REFLECTION FOR CHRISTMAS

For Christmas there has been more spoken, written and sung than for just about any other great celebration in human history.  There is so much material, including within the Scriptures which we can absorb, that it all becomes daunting.

Even the Scriptural accounts and references to the Birth of Christ are very rich so perhaps it is better for now just to reflect on what the essence of Christmas is all about. At Christmas time we celebrate the past, the present and the future.

We celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ in human history – “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” We can celebrate this past event with faith that Jesus the Son of God and Son of Man has entered our world, has left us his teaching and example, has established his Church and community of believers and has brought about the forgiveness of our sins.

We celebrate the present. We celebrate the presence of Christ in Word and Sacrament in our lives now. We can celebrate the present wonderful miracles of the Sacraments with love. We know that Christ is with us, especially in the Mass and in the Scriptures and that our calling as followers of Christ is above all a calling to love other people.

We celebrate the future. We celebrate with hope that Christ will come again in glory and that there will be victory over evil and death. There is no need to fear the future. Ultimately, the future is in God’s hands, including our own deaths whenever they may happen.

Christmas celebrates the enormous love which God has for each one of us. He gave us his Son who eventually gave his own life for us all. Such love surely needs a response from us  - as St John writes in 1 John 4:11, “If God has loved us so much we must have the same love for one another.”

In practical terms this means  mending quarrels, seeking a neglected friend, sharing some treasure, encouraging young people, keeping promises, welcoming strangers, respecting our planet and its beauty and wonder . . .  There is so much we can do to show thanks to God. So many people celebrate Christmas in some way. We can hope and pray that the real spirit of Christmas lasts throughout the coming year.

Let us together affirm the faith of the Church:

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation,
he came down from heaven;
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life for the world to come. Amen.

The joy of discovery
in that moment
when hope and expectation
were gloriously met
by the illumination of one bright star.

We cannot imagine
what words were spoken by visitors
or if first impressions
left them somewhat confused.

Messiah, Saviour, a King
born in the barest of palaces.

Yet they saw and fell down
on their knees in adoration.
Lord, they saw you and knew
whom they had met.

As we meet around the crib
draw us into that stable
in our imagination.
In the quiet moments of prayer
this Christmas, that brief oasis
from the events of the world
bring alive to us
the smell of the hay
the sound of the animals
the cry of a baby.

We pray…

For our leaders as they navigate a pathway through the COVID pandemic, for people in every nation as they struggle to come to terms with the changes brought about in their daily lives, especially at this season of celebration when many are separated from family and friends, we pray for courage and hope.
Lord, shine the light of your love.

For the church across the world, celebrating together your coming, we pray for faithfulness and hope.
Lord, shine the light of your love.

For those living with conflict and fear, suffering war, violence, detention, abuse, for those who find Christmas a time of despair and loneliness, for all who can see only darkness, we pray for comfort and hope.
Lord, shine the light of your love.

For those who are sick in mind, body or spirit, who find it difficult to enter into the wonder and anticipation of newness of life, we pray for healing and hope.
Lord, shine the light of your love.

For those who had died recently, and for those whose anniversary of death occurs at this time, we pray in the hope of eternal life.
Lord, shine the light of your love.

May we who have knelt at the manger
Always have room to hold within ourselves
The light of the Christ Child.

May we who have gazed on the face of God
Learn to live fully, and to share freely
All that we have and are.
So may Emmanuel – God with us and for us -
Be once more incarnate in the world.

O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight.

O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And peace to men on earth;
For Christ is born of Mary;
And, gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.

O holy child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in,
Be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell:
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel.

Phillips Brooks 1835-93

Source of light and gladness,
accept all we offer on this joyful feast.
May we grow up in the One who unites our lives to yours;
who is Lord now and for ever. Amen.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Worship and praise belong to you, God our maker.
Out of nothing, you called all worlds into being,
and still you draw the universe to its fulfilment.
Day and night celebrate your glory
till time shall be no more.

In Christ, your Word became flesh,
and on this night was born of the Virgin Mary.
He emptied himself, taking our human form,
That through his incarnation and passion
we might come to share in his divine nature.

Filled with the Spirit,
who at the first Creation
moved over the face of the waters,
and overshadowed the blessed Virgin at Nazareth,
we await with joy the fulfilment of your new Creation.

As children of your redeeming purpose
who celebrate the birth of your Son,
we offer you our praise,
with angels and archangels
and the whole company of heaven
singing the hymn of your unending glory:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Glory and thanksgiving be to you,
most loving Father.
In Jesus the Messiah you have come to us,
and lived for a time among us,
that we might for ever live with you.
In the manger at Bethlehem,
in his flight to Egypt,
and as the carpenter’s son,
the Only-begotten bent low to meet us.

Obedient to your calling,
he accepted death on the cross.
When you exalted him on the third day,
and bestowed on him the name above all names,
he opened the gate of glory
that we might be your children,
and share in his kingdom of Peace.

Before he was given up to suffering and death,
desiring to complete the work
for which he came into the world,
at supper with his disciples
he took bread and offered you thanks.
He broke the bread,
and gave it to them, saying:
“Take, eat.
This is my Body: it is broken for you.”

After supper, he took the cup,
he offered you thanks,
and gave it to them saying:
“Drink this, all of you.
This is my Blood of the new covenant;
it is poured out for you, and for all,
that sins may be forgiven.
Do this in remembrance of me.”

We now obey your Son’s command.
We recall his blessed passion and death,
his glorious resurrection and ascension;
and we look for the coming of his Kingdom.
Made one with him, we offer you these gifts
and with them ourselves,
a single, holy, living sacrifice.

Hear us, most merciful Father,
and send your Holy Spirit upon us
and upon this bread and this wine,
that, overshadowed by his life-giving power,
they may be the Body and Blood of your Son,
and we may be kindled with the fire of your love
and renewed for the service of your Kingdom.

Help us, who are baptised into the fellowship of Christ's Body
to live and work to your praise and glory;
may we grow together in unity and love
until at last, in your new creation,
we enter into our heritage
in the company of the Virgin Mary,
the apostles, and prophets,
and of all our brothers and sisters living and departed.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
with whom, and in whom,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory be to you,
Lord of all ages,
world without end. Amen.

Let us pray with confidence to the Father
in the words our Saviour gave us:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
We who are many are one body,

for we all share in the one bread.

While the bread is broken Agnus Dei is said.

Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Redeemer of the world, grant us your peace.

Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word, and I shall be healed.

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there, and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.

It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold;
“Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From Heaven’s all gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.

Still through the cloven skies they come
With peaceful wings unfurled,
And still their heavenly music floats
O’er all the weary world;
Above its sad and lowly plains,
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever over its Babel sounds
The blessèd angels sing.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
O hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels

For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophet-bards foretold,
When with the ever circling years
Comes round the age of gold;
When peace shall over all the earth
Its ancient splendours fling,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.

Edmund Sears 1810-76

The Lord comes, bringing to light things now hidden in darkness,
and disclosing the purposes of the heart.

Silence

Let us open our hearts and prepare for his coming,
confessing our sins in penitence and faith.

Merciful God,
our maker and our judge,
we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,
and in what we have failed to do:
we have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves;
we repent, and are sorry for all our sins.
Father, forgive us.
Strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God,
who has promised forgiveness
to all who turn to him in faith:
pardon you and set you free from all your sins,
strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in eternal life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us pray.

Gracious God,
whose eternal Word took flesh among us
when Mary placed her life at the service of your will:
prepare our hearts for his coming again
and keep us steadfast in hope,
that we may be ready for the coming of his kingdom;
for his sake, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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 have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ Now therefore you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: 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.

Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.

For the word of the Lord,
thanks be to God.

℟.  Your love, O Lord, for ever will I sing.

1  Your love, O LORD, for ever will I sing;
from age to age my mouth will proclaim your faithfulness.

2  For I am persuaded that your love is established for ever;
you have set your faithfulness firmly in the heavens.  ℟.

3  ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn an oath to David my servant:

4  “I will establish your line for ever,
and preserve your throne for all generations.”’  ℟.

19  You spoke once in a vision and said to your faithful people:
‘I have set the crown upon a warrior and have exalted one chosen out of the people.

20  I have found David my servant;
with my holy oil have I anointed him.  ℟.

21  My hand will hold him fast
and my arm will make him strong.

22  No enemy shall deceive him,
nor the wicked bring him down.

23  I will crush his foes before him
and strike down those who hate him.  ℟.

24  My faithfulness and love shall be with him,
and he shall be victorious through my name.

25  I shall make his dominion extend
from the Great Sea to the River.

26  He will say to me, “You are my Father,
my God and the rock of my salvation.”’  ℟.

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 for ever! Amen.

For the word of the Lord,
thanks be to God.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

I am the handmaid of the Lord:
let what you have said be done to me.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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 he came to her 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 for ever, 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.

For the Gospel of the Lord,
praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

REFLECTION FOR ADVENT 4

The Holy Mother, Mary, is one of the central themes of this last Sunday before Christmas. On this Sunday we can all honour Mary heartily remembering the wonderfully crucial role she plays in God coming to share our human life on earth.

It is an incredible time within families when a young woman is about to give birth. All attention is one her. . .  until the baby is born, then attention switches to the child. This is how we behave in church during these final days of Advent. Now is the time when we can concentrate on Mary. On then after Christmas Day we shall devote ourselves to her Child and his significance for us eternally.

From the New Testament of the Scriptures there are many images available to describe the role of Mary in the scheme of things. None of these images is as rich and accessible as that of Mary as Mother. So many “real” Christmas cards depict Mary as such, often very beautifully.

For those of us in the Church, Mary can be thought of as Mother of God, and mother of those who believe. The title, Mother of God, comes from the Council of Ephesus in 431 when there was sharp controversy over whether not Jesus was truly God when on earth. After very serious prayer and reflection the Council decided that Mary could and should be called the Mother of God. We know that Christ had always been, begotten by the Father, but that he was born in time by Mary to chare our humanity.

At the time of the Reformation, when there was so much liturgical and theological abuse in the Church, reformers shrank from calling Mary the Mother of God, lest it encourage any persistence of an  over emphasis of Mary. The climate today is kinder to Mary and the people of the Church. We can understand Mary more easily and helpfully without rancour.

The other sense in which Mary is mother is that she is a spiritual mother to all of us. This is a truth which comes to us from John 10:26 when Jesus says from the cross, “Woman, this is your son. The Church has taken this to mean that Mary is the spiritual mother of all the faithful people, represented by John when Jesus spoke these words.

So today we honour Mary the Mother of God and our spiritual mother. Many of us feel that we can readily ask Mary to pray for us because she would care for all the people who follow her Son, surrounded as we are by much trouble and danger as well as happiness and some degree of fulfilment. Mary can be the ideal one to lead us to Jesus the Saviour.

Let us together affirm the faith of the Church:

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation,
he came down from heaven;
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life for the world to come. Amen.

As we joyfully await the glorious coming of the Christ,
let us pray for the needs of the church, our community, and the world.

Mary’s quiet “yes” to God became good news for the whole world to hear.
In union with her, let us put our faith in God’s wisdom and love.

• For the church in every land, that it will emerge from the pandemic renewed in the spirit of Mary’s courageous faith. Loving God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
• For the leaders of the world and the people of countries still being ravaged by COVID-19, that safe and effective vaccines will bring the disease under control. Loving God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
• For policy-makers planning measures to promote economic revival, that they will be guided above all by care for the earth and the needs of the poor. Loving God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
• For refugees and asylum seekers subjected to endless detention in Australia’s name, that public support for them will persuade authorities to release them. Loving God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
• For all who are still separated from loved ones by travel and quarantine restrictions, that they will soon be happily reunited. Loving God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
• For those for whom Christmas is a time of loneliness and the risk of violence, that family members, friends and the local community will rally to their support. Loving God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
• For all those who are sick in mind, body or spirit; for all those dealing with the sudden onset of illness, and especially those whose lives are drawing to a close in this time of eager anticipation of new birth. Loving God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
• For ourselves as this difficult year draws to a close, that together we will find joy, peace and love in the celebration of Christ’s birth. Loving God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
• For those who have died recently, and for those whose anniversary of death occurs around this time, that they will be reborn into eternal life with Mary, Joseph, Mary Magdalene, Thomas and all the saints. Loving God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of boundless mercy, through Mary’s consent and the power of the Spirit your Word took on our human flesh. Set us free to welcome his saving presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Gracious God,
by the power of the Spirit
who sanctified the mother of your Son,
make holy all we offer you this day.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.

For all the oracles of the prophets foretold him,
the Virgin Mother longed for him
with love beyond all telling,
John the Baptist sang of his coming
and proclaimed his presence when he came.

It is by his gift that already we rejoice
at the mystery of his Nativity,
so that he may find us watchful in prayer
and exultant in his praise.

And so, with Angels and Archangels,
with Thrones and Dominions,
and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven,
we sing the hymn of your glory,
as without end we acclaim:

Holy, holy, holy Lord God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

You are indeed holy, O Lord,
the fount of all holiness.
Make holy, therefore, these gifts, we pray,
by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall,
so that they may become for us
the Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

At the time he was betrayed
and entered willingly into his Passion,
he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it,
and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and eat of it,
for this is my body
which will be given up for you.

In a similar way, when supper was ended,
he took the cup
and, once more giving thanks,
he gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take this, all of you, and drink from it,
for this is the cup of my blood,
the blood of the new and eternal covenant,
which will be poured out for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.

Therefore, as we celebrate
the memorial of his Death and Resurrection,
we offer you, Lord,
the Bread of life and the Cup of salvation,
giving thanks that you have held us worthy
to be in your presence and minister to you.

Humbly we pray
that, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ,
we may be gathered into one by the Holy Spirit.
Remember, Lord, your Church,
spread throughout the world,
and bring her to the fullness of charity,
together with Geoffrey our Bishop
and all those whose lives bring hope to this world.

Remember also our brothers and sisters
who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection,
and all who have died in your mercy:
welcome them into the light of your presence.
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
that with the blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God,
Mary Magdalene and all the Saints
who have pleased you throughout the ages,
we may be worthy to stand in your presence
and may praise and glorify you
through your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through whom and with whom and in whom,
O God, almighty Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honours is yours, for ever and ever. Amen.

Let us pray with confidence to the Father
in the words our Saviour gave us:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
We who are many are one body,

for we all share in the one bread.

While the bread is broken Agnus Dei is said.

Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Redeemer of the world, grant us your peace.

Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word, and I shall be healed.

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there, and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.

The Lord comes, bringing to light things now hidden in darkness,
and disclosing the purposes of the heart.

Silence

Let us open our hearts and prepare for his coming,
confessing our sins in penitence and faith.

Merciful God,
our maker and our judge,
we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,
and in what we have failed to do:
we have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves;
we repent, and are sorry for all our sins.
Father, forgive us.
Strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God,
who has promised forgiveness
to all who turn to him in faith:
pardon you and set you free from all your sins,
strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in eternal life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us pray.

Eternal God,
you sent John the Baptist
to prepare the way for the coming of your Son:
grant us wisdom to see your purpose
and openness to hear your will,
that we too may prepare the way for Christ
who is coming in power and glory
to establish his rule of peace and justice;
through Jesus Christ our Judge and our Redeemer,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

The servant of the LORD said: The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favour, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion – to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, to display his glory. They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. For I the LORD love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the LORD has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.

For the word of the Lord,
thanks be to God.

1. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion : then were we like unto them that dream.
2. Then was our mouth filled with laughter : and our tongue with joy.
3. Then said they among the heathen : The Lord hath done great things for them.
4. Yea, the Lord hath done great things for us already : whereof we rejoice.
5. Turn our capʹtivity O Lord : as the rivers in the south.
6.  They that sow in tear  : shall ʹ reap in joy.
7. He that now goeth on his way weeping, and beareth forth good seed : shall doubtless come again with joy and bring his sheaves with him.

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Thessalonians.

My brothers and sisters, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

For the word of the Lord,
thanks be to God.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me.
He has sent me to bring good news to the poor.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ And they asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ Then they said to him, ‘Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ He said, ‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord,”’ as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, ‘Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?’ John answered them, ‘I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.’ This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

For the Gospel of the Lord,
praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us together affirm the faith of the Church:

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation,
he came down from heaven;
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life for the world to come. Amen.

As we move closer to our celebration of Jesus’ arrival in our midst
let us hold the world and her inhabitants and the earth itself in our prayers.
And as you respond in hope, I wonder if it would be possible to say ‘Let there be joy’,
and imagine that joy in the hearts, on the faces, in the trees, in the earth herself.

Let us pray.

For those who are broken of heart
who in this year of turmoil have lost their jobs
or who have struggled with lockdowns and the limited ways of being connected
Lord, let there be joy.

For those who find themselves bound,
either captive physically in prison or detention
or captive in a situation
as a refugee
or in a relationship that is abusive
or in poverty
Lord, let there be joy.

For those at this time who might be fatigued or disheartened
especially for those in healthcare
for those who are working in difficult circumstances across the globe
with COVID
within war ravaged countries
within poverty-stricken environments
Lord, let there be joy.

For those who are seeking justice for the lives of every human to matter equally
no matter their race or colour
their wealth
their disability
their need
Lord, let there be joy.

For those in our church
and in every place of faith
where deep care and effort abound
Lord, let there be joy.

For those who are mourning at this time
mourning the loss of someone they love
or the grief of not being with someone they love
or the grief of not being who they want to be in their lives
the grief of unfulfilled potential
Lord, let there be joy.

And for the earth and all her bounty
flora, fauna, the oceans, the lands
Lord, let there be joy.

Come, O come Emmanuel.
Fulfil in us your vision.
Give us voices to sing praise and to be joyful.

Amen

God of hope
renew in us the joy of your salvation
and make us a living sacrifice to you,
for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Worship and praise belong to you, God our maker.
Out of nothing, you called all worlds to be,
and still you draw the universe to its fulfilment.

Dawn and evening celebrate your glory
till time shall be no more.

In Christ your Son
the life of heaven and earth were joined,
sealing the promise of a new creation,
given, yet still to come.

Taught by your Spirit,
we who bear your threefold likeness
look for the City of Peace
in whose light we are transfigured
and the earth transformed.

As children of your redeeming purpose
who await the coming of your Son,
we offer you our praise,
with angels and archangels
and the whole company of heaven
singing the hymn of your unending glory:

Holy, holy, holy Lord God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Glory and thanksgiving be to you,
most loving Father.
In Jesus you showed us yourself.
Our hope is built on him,
the first, the last, the living one.
Obedient, even to accepting death,
He opened the gate of glory
and calls us now to share the life of heaven.

Before he was given up to suffering and death,
alight with the vision of a feast
that heralded a kingdom yet to come,
at supper with his disciples
he took bread and offered you thanks.
He broke the bread,
and gave it to them, saying:
"Take, eat.
This is my Body: it is broken for you."

After supper, he took the cup,
he offered you thanks,
and gave it to them saying:
"Drink this, all of you.
This is my Blood of the new covenant;
it is poured out for you, and for all,
that sins may be forgiven.
Do this in remembrance of me."

We now obey your Son's command.
We recall his blessed passion and death,
his glorious resurrection and ascension;
and we look for the coming of his Kingdom.
Made one with him, we offer you these gifts
with them ourselves,
a single, holy, living sacrifice.

Hear us, most merciful Father,
and send your Holy Spirit upon us
and upon this bread and this wine,
that, overshadowed by his life-giving power,
they may be the Body and Blood of your Son,
and we may be kindled with the fire of your love
and renewed for the service of your Kingdom.

Help us, who are baptised into the fellowship of Christ's Body
to live and work to your praise and glory;
may we grow together in unity and love
until at last, in your new creation,
we enter into our heritage
in the company of the Virgin Mary,
the apostles, and prophets,
and of all our brothers and sisters
living and departed.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
with whom, and in whom,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory be to you,
Lord of all ages,
world without end. Amen.

Let us pray with confidence to the Father
in the words our Saviour gave us:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
We who are many are one body,

for we all share in the one bread.

While the bread is broken Agnus Dei is said.

Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Redeemer of the world, grant us your peace.

Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word, and I shall be healed.

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there, and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.

1. On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry
   announces that the Lord is nigh;
   awake and hearken, for he brings
   glad tidings of the King of kings.
2. Then cleansed be every breast from sin;
   make straight the way for God within;
   prepare we in our hearts a home
   where such a mighty guest may come.
3. For thou art our salvation, Lord,
   our refuge and our great reward:
   without thy grace, we waste away,
   like flowers that wither and decay.
4. Stretch forth thine hand, our health restore,
   and make us rise to fall no more.
   O let thy face upon us shine
   and fill the world with love divine.
5. All praise, eternal Son, to thee,
   whose advent sets thy people free,
   whom, with the Father, we adore,
   and Holy Spirit, evermore.

Charles Coffin 1676-1749
trans John Chandler 1806-76

The Lord comes, bringing to light things now hidden in darkness,
and disclosing the purposes of the heart.

Silence

Let us open our hearts and prepare for his coming,
confessing our sins in penitence and faith.

Merciful God,
our maker and our judge,
we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,
and in what we have failed to do:
we have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves;
we repent, and are sorry for all our sins.
Father, forgive us.
Strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God,
who has promised forgiveness
to all who turn to him in faith:
pardon you and set you free from all your sins,
strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in eternal life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us pray.

Merciful God,
you sent your messengers the prophets
to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation:
give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins,
that we may greet with joy
the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

Comfort, O comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that she has served her term,
that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the LORD’s hand
double for all her sins.
A voice cries out:
‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
A voice says, ‘Cry out!’
And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’
All people are grass,
their constancy is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
when the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades;
but the word of our God will stand for ever.
Get you up to a high mountain,
O Zion, herald of good tidings;
lift up your voice with strength,
O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah,
‘Here is your God!’
See, the Lord GOD comes with might,
and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
and his recompense before him
He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead the mother sheep.

For the word of the Lord,
thanks be to God.

1. LORD, thou art become gracious unto thy land: thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.
2. Thou hast forgiven the offence of thy people: and covered all their sins.
3. Thou hast taken away all thy displeasure: and turned thyself from thy wrathful indignation.
4. Turn us then, O God our Saviour: and let thine anger cease from us.
5. Wilt thou be displeased at us for ever: and wilt thou stretch out thy wrath from one generation to another?
6. Wilt thou not turn again, and quicken us: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
7. Shew us thy mercy, O Lord: and grant us thy salvation.
8. I will hearken what the Lord God will say concerning me: for he shall speak peace unto his people, and to his saints, that they turn not again.
9. For his salvation is nigh them that fear him: that glory may dwell in our land.
10. Mercy and truth are met together: righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11. Truth shall flourish out of the earth: and righteousness hath looked down from heaven.
12. Yea, the Lord shall shew loving-kindness: and our land shall give her increase.
13. Righteousness shall go before him: and he shall direct his going in the way.

The beginning of the second letter of Peter.

Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.

For the word of the Lord,
thanks be to God.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight,
and all shall see the salvation of God.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

The beginning of the holy Gospel according to Mark.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,”’ John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’

For the Gospel of the Lord,
praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

REFLECTION – THE SONG MUST GO ON!

John the Baptist was the “supporting actor” to Jesus, the main character. He was superb in this capacity because he never aspired to be anything more this this and he did what he did fearlessly and well. John the Baptist was a humble forerunner, a truthful witness and a faithful martyr when the time for this came.

It is interesting to reflect on John the Baptist “crying” in the wilderness or desert. It is a cry which resonated with many people of the time and a cry which was deeply troubling and confronting to others. Either way John the Baptist attracted a huge following because people thought him to be someone of substance and who needed to heard. Some people wondered if he were the Messiah. Even King Herod wished to hear him, if only for shallow reasons.

The cry of John the Baptist called on everyone to “prepare the way of the Lord.” This cry became timeless and it has echoed through the ages. He also posed for his hearers a question which was, in so many words, “If you were charged with ‘being a Christian’ would there be enough evidence to convict you?” This is a chilling question. A wonderful aspect of John the Baptist is that he always knew that his cry would give way to Jesus’ words which were like a song – the Gospel!

It was the role of the Church to pick up and sing this song always, until the end of time. It is a tragic aspect of human history that the song has been distorted over the centuries. Christianity is not a song people in our society are anxious to hear. Why is this? When Jesus lived among us on earth there were already plenty of other religions in vogue. We read of more of them in Acts of the Apostles. Yet Jesus “song” was so compelling and distinctive that people were anxious to hear more of it.

Jesus’ song was good news about God and us. Today our society believes that Christianity is just another religion, one which their parents or they grew up with and rejected and a religion which has been thoroughly discredited by the heinous acts of clergy and laity – often against children. The Church is not the only entity to have behaved like this but it has copped the worst criticism for its actions. Why is this?

A huge problem for the Church is that it has allowed itself to become a moral guardian of society. Nothing is more despised than a lapsed moral guardian! As people born after 1950 began to grow up they wanted much more freedom and they became rebellious. Many family routines were jettisoned, including ‘going to church’. There was a spirited questioning and rejection of Christian morality. ‘Respectability’ was spurned and other spiritual paths were followed eagerly.

What happened to Jesus’ song? What is the song of Jesus? What is the good news? These are vital questions to ponder if we are serious about wanting to attract new people to the Church and even others to return.

Fr Graeme Kaines, Locum Priest.

Let us together affirm the faith of the Church:

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation,
he came down from heaven;
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life for the world to come. Amen.

With John the Baptist, all the people of God, the church throughout the ages bearing witness to the great light of God shining dark places, we commend to God all for whom we pray, saying,
O merciful God, hear our prayer.

For the people of our nation, our city and our community
O merciful God, hear our prayer.

For artists, writers, prophets and all who think on the edge of society
O merciful God, hear our prayer.

For the church, for this assembly and our sisters and brothers at St Andrew's Kiyosato
O merciful God, hear our prayer.

For preachers and teachers of a light-bearing word of Christ, for our wardens and parish councillors
O merciful God, hear our prayer.

For the imprisoned, for those whose only home is the streets and for those caught by addiction
O merciful God, hear our prayer.

For the lonely and excluded, for the marginalised and unloved
O merciful God, hear our prayer.

For the hungry, for those who cannot feed their children, for the unemployed
O merciful God, hear our prayer.

For agencies of assistance and relief working in the city of Adelaide
O merciful God, hear our prayer.

For those living with COVID 19 and everyone caring for them
O merciful God, hear our prayer.

For those in need who have asked for our prayers, for those on our parish list, for the grieving and all those in anguish or despair
O merciful God, hear our prayer.

For all the saints in glory, especially Mary Magdalene, and all those whom we have known and loved who, though dead are alive in Christ
O merciful God, hear our prayer.

God our strength,
we are nothing without you.
Receive all we offer you this day
as you sustain us with your mercy;
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Worship and praise belong to you, God our maker.
Out of nothing, you called all worlds to be,
and still you draw the universe to its fulfilment.

Dawn and evening celebrate your glory
till time shall be no more.

In Christ your Son
the life of heaven and earth were joined,
sealing the promise of a new creation,
given, yet still to come.

Taught by your Spirit,
we who bear your threefold likeness
look for the City of Peace
in whose light we are transfigured
and the earth transformed.

As children of your redeeming purpose
who await the coming of your Son,
we offer you our praise,
with angels and archangels
and the whole company of heaven
singing the hymn of your unending glory:

Holy, holy, holy Lord God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Glory and thanksgiving be to you,
most loving Father.
In Jesus you showed us yourself.
Our hope is built on him,
the first, the last, the living one.
Obedient, even to accepting death,
He opened the gate of glory
and calls us now to share the life of heaven.

Before he was given up to suffering and death,
alight with the vision of a feast
that heralded a kingdom yet to come,
at supper with his disciples
he took bread and offered you thanks.
He broke the bread,
and gave it to them, saying:
"Take, eat.
This is my Body: it is broken for you."

After supper, he took the cup,
he offered you thanks,
and gave it to them saying:
"Drink this, all of you.
This is my Blood of the new covenant;
it is poured out for you, and for all,
that sins may be forgiven.
Do this in remembrance of me."

We now obey your Son's command.
We recall his blessed passion and death,
his glorious resurrection and ascension;
and we look for the coming of his Kingdom.
Made one with him, we offer you these gifts
with them ourselves,
a single, holy, living sacrifice.

Hear us, most merciful Father,
and send your Holy Spirit upon us
and upon this bread and this wine,
that, overshadowed by his life-giving power,
they may be the Body and Blood of your Son,
and we may be kindled with the fire of your love
and renewed for the service of your Kingdom.

Help us, who are baptised into the fellowship of Christ's Body
to live and work to your praise and glory;
may we grow together in unity and love
until at last, in your new creation,
we enter into our heritage
in the company of the Virgin Mary,
the apostles, and prophets,
and of all our brothers and sisters
living and departed.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
with whom, and in whom,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory be to you,
Lord of all ages,
world without end. Amen.

Let us pray with confidence to the Father
in the words our Saviour gave us:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
We who are many are one body,

for we all share in the one bread.

While the bread is broken Agnus Dei is said.

Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Redeemer of the world, grant us your peace.

Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word, and I shall be healed.

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there, and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.

℣. I look from afar: and lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole earth.
℟. Go ye out to meet him and say: Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel?
℣. High and low, rich and poor, one with another.
℟. Go ye out to meet him and say.
℣. Hear, O thou shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep.
℟. Tell us, art thou he that should come?
℣. Stir up thy strength, O Lord, and come.
℟. To reign over thy people Israel.
℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
℟. I look from afar: and lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole earth.
℣. Go ye out to meet him and say:
℟. Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel?

The Lord comes, bringing to light things now hidden in darkness,
and disclosing the purposes of the heart.

Silence

Let us open our hearts and prepare for his coming,
confessing our sins in penitence and faith.

Merciful God,
our maker and our judge,
we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,
and in what we have failed to do:
we have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves;
we repent, and are sorry for all our sins.
Father, forgive us.
Strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God,
who has promised forgiveness
to all who turn to him in faith:
pardon you and set you free from all your sins,
strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in eternal life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us pray.

Eternal God,
through long generations you prepared a way
for the coming of your Son,
and by your Spirit you still bring light to illumine our paths:
renew us in faith and hope
that we may welcome Christ to rule our thoughts
and claim our love;
to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence – as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil – to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him. You meet those who gladly do right, those who remember you in your ways. But you were angry, and we sinned; because you hid yourself we transgressed. We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls on your name, or attempts to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity. Yet, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Do not be exceedingly angry, O LORD, and do not remember iniquity for ever. Now consider, we are all your people.

For the word of the Lord,
thanks be to God.

1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, you that led Joseph like a flock:
you that are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine out in glory;

2  Before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh:
stir up your power, and come to save us.

3  Restore us again, O Lord of hosts:
show us the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

4  O Lord God of hosts:
how long will you be angry at your people’s prayer?

5  You have fed them with the bread of tears:
and given them tears to drink in good measure.

6  You have made us the victim of our neighbours:
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

7  Restore us again, O Lord of hosts:
show us the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

17  Let your power rest on the man at your right hand:
on that son of man whom you made so strong for yourself.

18  And so we shall not turn back from you:
give us life, and we will call upon your name.

Restore us again, O Lord of hosts:
show us the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

The beginning of the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, to the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind – just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you – so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

For the word of the Lord,
thanks be to God.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy
and show us your saving help.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘In those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake – for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’

For the Gospel of the Lord,
praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

REFLECTION FOR ADVENT SUNDAY

In South Australia for much of our society the Christmas season begins from the day of the Christmas Pageant, then ends on Christmas Day. In the Church we begin the Christmas season on Christmas Day then conclude it on the Feast of the Epiphany – either on January 6^th or later on January 13^th.

Prior to Christmas the Church gives us the season of Advent lasting four weeks. It is a beautiful season easily lost in the commercial and social rush of December. No matter how much we try to make something of Advent in church we fight a severely difficult battle against the mighty forces of shopping, social engagements, work festivities and the general anticipation of the coming holidays. We cannot underestimate the energy needed to organise family gatherings at Christmas time, either.

The term “Advent is from a Latin word which means “coming”.  In Advent we think of the two comings of Jesus among us – the first time as a baby in Bethlehem, the second time in glory at the end of time. Accordingly, Advent presents to us themes of encouragement and themes of the need to be prepared, on watch, and to staying awake, ready for the second coming whenever that may be.

To start with in Advent we look ahead to the second coming. Then from the middle of Advent we concentrate on the birth of Jesus as a baby in human history. It is this second theme which captures our imaginations and to some extent society’s imaginations, too. With both themes the focus is on Jesus, the very heart of our faith. Advent captures something of the person, the mystery, and the message of Jesus. Advent invites us to reconsider the meaning of being a Christian, a disciple of Jesus.

Though in Advent we look back and look forward in these themes the fact remains that we have to remember that we can only live now! This means that another theme of Advent is that Christ is present in our lives now. The other two themes of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and Jesus’ second coming need to touch our lives now. Advent can be a great time to make a fresh start in life, a time to try to pray more, hope more, give more and love more.

This may make a good deal of sense after a difficult year of Covid 19. But it is certainly difficult to concentrate on Advent while we are pushed and pulled in other directions by the calls of society and family. Try to make some time each day to devote to Advent your way. The season has so much to offer. A well observed Advent makes for a truly wonderful Christmas!

Fr Graeme Kaines,

Locum Priest.

Let us together affirm the faith of the Church:

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation,
he came down from heaven;
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life for the world to come. Amen.

This Advent Prayer is from Cloth for the Cradle by the Iona Community Wild Goose Worship Group and invites us to turn towards our living hope - for ourselves and our world…let us pray

Open our eyes, Lord,
especially if they are half shut
because we are tired of looking,
or half open
because we fear we see too much,
or bleared with tears
because yesterday and today and tomorrow
are filled with the same pain,
or contracted,
because we only look at what we want to see.

Open our eyes, Lord,
to gently scan the life we lead,
the home we have,
the world we inhabit,
and so to find,
among the gremlins and the greyness,
signs of hope we can fasten on and encourage.

Give us, whose eyes are dimmed by familiarity,
a bigger vision of what you can do
even with hopeless cases and lost causes
and people of limited ability.

Show us the world as in your sight,
riddled by debt, deceit and disbelief
yet also
shot through with possibility
for recovery, renewal, redemption,

And lest we fail to distinguish vision from fantasy,
today, tomorrow, this week,
open our eyes to one person or one place,
where we - being even for a moment prophetic -
might identify and wean a potential in the waiting.

And with all this,
open our eyes, in yearning, for Jesus.

On the mountains,
in the cities,
through the corridors of power
and streets of despair
to help, to heal,
to confront, to convert,
O come, O come, Immanuel.

God of love and power,
your word stirs within us
the expectation of the coming of your Son.
Accept all we offer you this day,
and sustain us with your promise of eternal life.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Worship and praise belong to you, God our maker.
Out of nothing, you called all worlds to be,
and still you draw the universe to its fulfilment.

Dawn and evening celebrate your glory
till time shall be no more.

In Christ your Son
the life of heaven and earth were joined,
sealing the promise of a new creation,
given, yet still to come.

Taught by your Spirit,
we who bear your threefold likeness
look for the City of Peace
in whose light we are transfigured
and the earth transformed.

As children of your redeeming purpose
who await the coming of your Son,
we offer you our praise,
with angels and archangels
and the whole company of heaven
singing the hymn of your unending glory:

Holy, holy, holy Lord God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Glory and thanksgiving be to you,
most loving Father.
In Jesus you showed us yourself.
Our hope is built on him,
the first, the last, the living one.
Obedient, even to accepting death,
He opened the gate of glory
and calls us now to share the life of heaven.

Before he was given up to suffering and death,
alight with the vision of a feast
that heralded a kingdom yet to come,
at supper with his disciples
he took bread and offered you thanks.
He broke the bread,
and gave it to them, saying:
"Take, eat.
This is my Body: it is broken for you."

After supper, he took the cup,
he offered you thanks,
and gave it to them saying:
"Drink this, all of you.
This is my Blood of the new covenant;
it is poured out for you, and for all,
that sins may be forgiven.
Do this in remembrance of me."

We now obey your Son's command.
We recall his blessed passion and death,
his glorious resurrection and ascension;
and we look for the coming of his Kingdom.
Made one with him, we offer you these gifts
with them ourselves,
a single, holy, living sacrifice.

Hear us, most merciful Father,
and send your Holy Spirit upon us
and upon this bread and this wine,
that, overshadowed by his life-giving power,
they may be the Body and Blood of your Son,
and we may be kindled with the fire of your love
and renewed for the service of your Kingdom.

Help us, who are baptised into the fellowship of Christ's Body
to live and work to your praise and glory;
may we grow together in unity and love
until at last, in your new creation,
we enter into our heritage
in the company of the Virgin Mary,
the apostles, and prophets,
and of all our brothers and sisters
living and departed.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
with whom, and in whom,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all honour and glory be to you,
Lord of all ages,
world without end. Amen.

Let us pray with confidence to the Father
in the words our Saviour gave us:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
We who are many are one body,

for we all share in the one bread.

While the bread is broken Agnus Dei is said.

Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Redeemer of the world, grant us your peace.

Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word, and I shall be healed.

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there, and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.