First Sunday of Advent

The Collect:

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Old Testament: Jeremiah 33:14-16

¹⁴The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. ¹⁵In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ¹⁶In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

Psalm: Psalm 25:1-10

¹ To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;
   my God, I put my trust in you; *
       let me not be humiliated,
       nor let my enemies triumph over me.
² Let none who look to you be put to shame; *
       let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.
³ Show me your ways, O Lord, *
       and teach me your paths.
⁴ Lead me in your truth and teach me, *
       for you are the God of my salvation;
       in you have I trusted all the day long.
⁵ Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, *
       for they are from everlasting.
⁶ Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; *
       remember me according to your love
       and for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.
⁷ Gracious and upright is the Lord; *
       therefore he teaches sinners in his way.
⁸ He guides the humble in doing right *
       and teaches his way to the lowly.
⁹ All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness *
       to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
¹⁰ For your Name’s sake, O Lord, *
       forgive my sin, for it is great.

Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

⁹How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? ¹⁰Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.

¹¹Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. ¹²And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. ¹³And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Gospel: Luke 21:25-36

²⁵“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. ²⁶People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. ²⁸Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

²⁹Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees;³⁰as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. ³¹So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. ³²Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. ³³Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. ³⁴“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, ³⁵like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

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