The Sundays in Advent

Advent 1: Populus Zion

Advent prepares the Church for celebrating Christ's birth. Like Lent, Advent is a penitential season of preparation through repentance. 

The 1. Sunday in Advent is Populus Zion (People of Zion) from Psalm 24,7-10 and Zechariah 9,9: 

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!  Behold, your king is drawing near to you; He is justifying and saving, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, so that the King of Glory may enter in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, so that the King of Glory may enter in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of Glory! 

✠ We preach Christ and Him crucified ✠

Iesus Nazarenus rex Iudaeorum

The beginning of Advent continues the theme from the Last Three Sundays in the Liturgical Year of the Church, which focuses on the last day and Christ's return or second advent. Populus Zion also focuses our attention on the mission of Jesus' first advent: to redeem fallen humanity from sin, death and the grave. Thus, the Historic Lectionary Gospel is Matthew 21,1-9 (Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday). This event begins Holy Week and culminates with Good Friday and Easter Sunday. 

Prayer: Stir up Your power, O Lord, and draw near, so that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen. 

Advent 2: Ad te Levavi

The 2. Sunday in Advent is Ad te Levavi  (Unto You, I lift up my soul) from Psalm 80:1-2.14-15.19 and Luke 21,28): 

Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock! You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth. Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your might and save us! Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine, the stock that Your right hand planted, and for the son whom You made strong for Yourself. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! Let Your face shine, so that we may be saved! 

Ad te Levavi continues the theme of repentant preparation for Jesus' second advent. The Historic Lectionary Gospel is Luke 21,25-33 where Jesus gives the signs that will herald His return on the last day. This 2. Sunday in Advent also draws to a close the theme of the last day and its five-week focus in the Church Year from the 3. Last Sunday in the Church Year until Advent 2. 

Jesus in His Divine Glory

Prayer: Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your Only-begotten Son, so that by His advent we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen. 

Advent 3: Gaudete

The 3. Sunday in Advent is Gaudete  (Rejoice!) from Psalm 85,1-2.4.9.11 and Philippians 4,4-5): 

O LORD, You were favorable to Your land; You restored the fortunes of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of Your people; You covered all their sin. Restore us again, O God of our Salvation, and put away Your indignation toward us. Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, so that glory may dwell in our land. Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. Rejoice in the LORD always; Rejoice: The LORD is at hand. 

Advent is a penitential and repentant season of preparation for the birth of Jesus on Christmas. Gaudete Sunday may be traditionally pink or purple. The liturgical color pink is a softer shade of purple and thus symbolizes that Gaudete is a break from the penitence of the season of Advent. The theme is one of rejoicing for the Lord Jesus Christ brings forgiveness and salvation. 

The historic lection reading from Isaiah 40,1-2 summarizes this nicely: Comfort, comfort My people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.To receive double for sin is to receive abundant grace and mercy. It is Isaiah's way of saying that all sins, no matter how serious and wicked, are covered and forgiven by God's grace. This gospel is manifest in the person of Jesus Christ who paid for our sin and gives us more than enough grace to cover all our iniquity. Truly, it is a time to rejoice! 

Gabriel announces to Mary that she bears the Messiah: the very Son of God

Prayer: O Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen. 

Advent 4: Rorate Caeli 

The 4. Sunday in Advent is Rorate Caeli  (Shower down, you heavens) from Psalm 102,13.19-21 and Psalm 102,16): 

O LORD, You will arise and have pity on Zion; it is the time to favor her; the appointed time has arrived. The LORD looked down from His holy height; from heaven the Lord looked at the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die, so that they may declare in Zion the Name of the Lord, and in Jerusalem His praise. For the LORD builds up Zion; He appears in His glory. 

This is the Sunday immediately prior to the birth of Jesus and as such its theme focuses on Gabriel, Mary, Elizabeth and John the Baptizer. The historic election reading from Isaiah 52,7: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion: „Your God reigns.“ Gabriel was a messenger to Mary, Mary was a messenger to Elizabeth and Elizabeth and John were messengers to Mary. Each proclaimed the gospel to the others and in doing so unfolded different facets of the gospel jewel God the Father had sent to the Earth. 

That message continues to be proclaimed this day. It is preached from the pulpit by the pastor, but then you also speak this message to others in your every day activities. The season of Christmas with its music, TV specials and decorations make your witness to the gospel so much easier because every one is already thinking about Christmas even if they do not believe in Jesus. Go, and tell others the real message of Christmas: the birth of our savior, Jesus the Christ. 

Prayer: Stir up Your power, O Lord, and draw near and help us by Your might, so that the sins which weigh us down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.