Alas! My computer has crashed and
I need to buy a new one. No regular OPQs for a few weeks..
First Sunday of Advent
HOPE
Hope
E.Burne-Jones
1896
MFABoston
Hope,
one of the three theological Virtues, is symbolized here as a prisoner chained
indoors, holding a branch of apple blossoms and reaching upward to pull the
blue sky down toward her. The slender, vertical format of this painting recalls
the fact that many of Burne-Jones's designs were successfully translated into
stained-glass windows and textiles. Burne-Jones painted this work for Mrs.
Whitin, of Whitinsville, Massachusetts. He had previously worked on a large
watercolor version of the same subject.
collections.mfa.org
this Advent prayer from Fr. Henri J.M. Nouwen encapsulates
what many of us feel and hope for
during the Advent season:
Lord
Jesus, Master of both light and darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparation for
Christmas.
We
who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear Your voice each day.
We
who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us.
We
who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of Your
Kingdom.
We
whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of Your presence.
We are Your people, walking in darkness yet seeking the light. To You, we say, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
December
3, 2023 First
Sunday of Advent - Year B
Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein
Agnus
Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org
LECTIONARY
Isaiah 64:1–9
Psalm 80:1–7, 17–19
1 Corinthians 1:3–9
Mark 13:24–37
First Reading Isaiah 64:1-9
1 O
that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
so that the
mountains would quake at your presence —
2 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
3 When you did
awesome deeds that we did not expect,
you came down, the
mountains quaked at your presence.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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.
7 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
8 Yet, O LORD, you
are our Father;
we are the clay,
and you are our potter;
we are all the work
of your hand.
9 Do not be
exceedingly angry, O LORD,
and do not remember
iniquity forever.
Now consider, we
are all your people.
1 Give ear, O
Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph
like a flock!
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine
forth
2 before Ephraim
and Benjamin and Manasseh.
Stir up your might,
and come to save
us!
3 Restore us,
O God;
let your face
shine, that we may be saved.
4 O LORD God
of hosts,
how long will you
be angry with your people’s prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears,
and given them
tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us the scorn of our neighbors;
our enemies laugh
among themselves.
7 Restore us,
O God of hosts;
let your face
shine, that we may be saved.
17 But let your hand
be upon the one at your right hand,
the one whom you
made strong for yourself.
18 Then we will never turn back from you;
give us life, and
we will call on your name.
19 Restore us, O
LORD God of hosts;
let your face
shine, that we may be saved.
Second
Reading 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
3Grace to you and peace from
God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of
God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, 5for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and
knowledge of every kind — 6just as the testimony of
Christ has been strengthened among you — 7so that you are not lacking
in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be
blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of
his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
24“But in
those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will
not give its light,
25 and the stars will be
falling from heaven,
and the powers in
the heavens will be shaken.
26Then they will see ‘the Son of Man
coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. 27Then 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.
28“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. 29So also,
when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very
gates. 30Truly I tell
you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken
place. 31Heaven and
earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
32“But about that day or hour no one
knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33Beware, keep alert; for you do not
know when the time will come. 34It 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. 35Therefore, 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, 36or else he
may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. 37And what I
say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”
(((-:
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