This Sunday's Readings
- sacredheartsg
- Sep 21, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: 14 hours ago
Church of the Sacred Heart
1ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
29 & 30 NOVEMBER 2025
Collect
Let us pray.
Grant your faithful, we pray, almighty God,
the resolve to run forth to meet your Christ
with righteous deeds at his coming,
so that, gathered at his right hand,
they may be worthy to possess the heavenly kingdom.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
First Reading
A reading from the Prophet Isaiah. 2:1-5
The Lord will gather all nations together into the eternal peace to form the kingdom of God.
The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In the days to come
the mountain of the Temple of the Lord
shall tower above the mountains
and be lifted higher than the hills.
All the nations will stream to it,
peoples without number will come to it; and they will say:
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the Temple of the God of Jacob
that he may teach us his ways
so that we may walk in his paths;
since the Law will go out from Zion,
and the oracle of the Lord from Jerusalem.’
He will wield authority over the nations
and adjudicate between many peoples;
these will hammer their swords into ploughshares,
their spears into sickles.
Nation will not lift sword against nation,
there will be no more training for war.
O House of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.
The Word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm
R. I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’
I rejoiced when I heard them say:
‘Let us go to God’s house.’
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.
For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgement
of the house of David.
R. I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’
For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
‘Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces, peace!’
R. I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’
For love of my brethren and friends
I say: ‘Peace upon you!’
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.
R. I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’
Second Reading
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans. 13:11-14
Our salvation is near.
You know ‘the time’ has come: you must wake up now: our salvation is even nearer than it was when we were converted. The night is almost over, it will be daylight soon – let us give up all the things we prefer to do under cover of the dark; let us arm ourselves and appear in the light. Let us live decently as people do in the daytime: no drunken orgies, no promiscuity or licentiousness, and no wrangling or jealousy. Let your armour be the Lord Jesus Christ; forget about satisfying your bodies with all their cravings.
The Word of the Lord.
Response: Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia!
Let us see, O Lord, your mercy
and give us your saving help.
Alleluia!
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. 24:37-44
Response: Glory to you, O Lord
Stay awake so that you may be ready.
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘As it was in Noah’s day, so will it be when the Son of Man comes. For in those days before the Flood people were eating, drinking, taking wives, taking husbands, right up to the day Noah went into the ark, and they suspected nothing till the Flood came and swept all away. It will be like this when the Son of Man comes. Then of two men in the fields one is taken, one left; of two women at the millstone grinding, one is taken, one left.
‘So stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’
The Gospel of the Lord.
Response: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer Of The Faithful
Introduction: Advent challenges us to stay watchful and vigilant as we prepare for the coming of Christ. Let us turn to our Heavenly Father and pray for our needs as we begin this holy time.
Response: Lord, graciously hear us.
1. For the Church. That Advent may awaken us to truly appreciate God’s deepest desire to save all people by giving us Jesus, His Son. Lord, hear us, we pray.
2. For the world. That nations may prepare for Jesus’ coming by working together to end the darkness of war, hatred, oppression and injustice so that there will be peace, freedom and justice for all peoples. Lord, hear us, we pray.
3. For all who suffer. That through us, Christ may come to heal the sick, feed the hungry, comfort the needy and liberate those unjustly treated. Lord, hear us, we pray.
4. For our sisters and brothers living with HIV/AIDS. That they may experience God’s enduring love and live hope-filled lives with our care for their dignity and wellbeing. Lord, hear us, we pray.
5. For those who have strayed from the Church. That they may hear the Advent call to conversion and come back to our Heavenly Father, the God of mercy and compassion. Lord, hear us, we pray.
6. For our parish community. That we may begin this new liturgical year by embracing Advent’s invitation to renew ourselves in faith and hope as we await Jesus’ coming. Lord, hear us, we pray.
7. We now pray in silence for other needs and intentions …
For these other needs and intentions, Lord, hear us, we pray.
Conclusion: Almighty God, give us the grace to grow in holiness and faith by living the teachings of the Gospel more fully this Advent. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.