Fourth Sunday of Advent

Purple

1st Class

   The Catholic liturgy reminds us, during these four weeks, of the time during which the world was without Jesus. This Mediator we now await, and since we can go to God only through Him, we implore Him to hasten His coming.

INTROIT ¤ Isaias 45. 8
	Rorate, coeli, desuper, et nubes pluant iustum: aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem. -- Coeli enarrant gloriam Dei: et opera manuum eius annuntiat fimamentum. V.: Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen. Rorate, coeli, desuper, et nubes pluant iustum: aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem.		Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior. -- (Ps. 18. 2). The heavens show forth the glory of God: and the firmament declareth the work of His hands. V.: Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain the Just: let the earth be opened and bud forth a Savior.
The Gloria in Excelsis is omitted.
COLLECT
	Excita, quaesumus Domine, potentiam tuam, et veni, et magna nobis virtute succurre; ut per auxilium gratiae tuae, quod nostra peccata praepediunt, indulgentia tuae propitiationibus acceleret: qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.		O Lord, we beseech Thee, stir up Thy power, and come, and with great might succor us: that by the help of Thy grace that which is hindered by our sins may be hastened by Thy merciful forgiveness. Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost God, world without end.
EPISTLE ¤ I Cor. 4. 1-5 Lesson from the first Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians. Lectio Epistolae beati Pauli Apostoli ad Corinthios. [St. Paul speaks of the ministers of Christ, and addressing those who judge their pastors he reminds them that He alone who shall come one day as Judge has the right to do this.]
	Fratres: Sic nos existimet homo ut ministros Christi, et dispensatores mysteriorum Dei. Hic iam quaeritur inter dispensatores, ut fidelis quis inveniatur. Mihi autem pro minimo est, ut a vobis iudicer, aut ab humano die: sed neque meipsum iudico. Nihil enim mihi conscius sum: sed non in hoc iustificatus sum: qui autem iudicat me, Dominus est. Itaque nolite ante tempus iudicare, quoadusque veniat Dominus: qui et illuminabit abscondita tenebrarum, et manifestabit consilia cordium: et tunc laus erit unicuique a Deo.		Brethren, Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God. Here now it is required among the dispensers that a man be found faithful. But to me it is a very small thing to be judged by you or by man's day: but neither do I judge my own self. For I am not conscious to myself of anything: yet am I not hereby justified, by He that judges me is the Lord. Therefore judge not before the time, until the Lord come: Who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels fo the hearts: and then shall every man have praise from God.
GRADUAL ¤ Ps. 144. 18, 21
	Prope est Dominus omnibus invocantibus eum: omnibus qui invocant eum in veritate. V.: Laudem Domini loquetur os meum et benedicat omnis caro nomen sanctum eius.    Alleluia, alleluia. V.: Veni, Domine, et noli tardare: relaza facinora plebis tuae Israel. Alleluia.		The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him: to all that call upon Him in truth. V.: My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless His Holy Name.    Alleluia, alleluia. V.: Come, O Lord, and tarry not: forgive the sins of Thy people Israel. Alleluia.
When on the Ferias of Advent the Mass of the Sunday is used, the Alleluia and its verses are not said, but only the Gradual.
GOSPEL ¤ Luke 3. 1-6 † Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke. †Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam. [The day of mercy is coming proclaimed by John the Baptist.]
	Anno quintodecimo imperii Tiberii Caesaris, procurante Pontio Pilato Iudaeam, tetrarcha autem Galilaeae Herode, Philippo autem fratre eius tetrarcha Ituraeae, et Trachonitidis regionis, et Lysania Abilinae tetrarcha, sub principibus sacerdotum Anna et Caipha: factum est verbum Domini super Ioannem, Zachariae filium, in deserto. Et venit in omnem regionem Iordanis, praedicans baptismum paenitentiae in remissionem peccatorum, sicut scriptum est in libro sermonum Isaiae Prophetae: Vox clamantis in deserto: Parate viam Domini: rectas facite semitas eius: omnis vallis implebitur: et omnis mons et collis humiliabitur: et erunt prava in directa, et aspera in vias planas: et videbit omnis caro salutare Dei.		Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea and the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilina, under the high priests Annas and Caiphas: the word of the Lord was made unto John, the son of Zachary, in the desert. And he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sins, as it was written in the book of the sayings of the Isaias the prophet: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight His paths: every valley shall be filled: and every mountain shall be made straight, and the rough ways plain: and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
OFFERTORY ¤ Luke 1. 28, 42
	Ave Maria, gratia plena: Dominus tecum: benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui.		Hail Mary, full of grace: the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
SECRET
	Sacrificiis praesentibus, quaesumus Domine, placatus intende; ut et devotioni nostrae proficiant, et saluti. Per Dominum nostrum, Iesum Christum, Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.		O Lord, we beseech Thee, look down favorably upon these present Sacrifices: that they may profit us both unto devotion and salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
PREFACE Preface of Advent
	Vere dignum et iustum est, aequum et salutare, nos tibi semper, et ubique gratias agere: Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus, per Christum Dominum nostrum; quem, perdito humanum generi, Salvatorem misericors et fidelis promisisti, cuius veritas instrueret inscios, sanctitas iustificaret impios, virtus adiuvaret infirmos. Dum ergo prope est ut veniat quem missurus es, et dies affulget liberationis nostrae, in hac promissionum tuarum fide piis gaudiis exsultamus. Et ideo cum Angelis et Archangelis, cum Thronis et Dominationibus, cumque omni militiae caelestis exercitus, hymnum gloriae tuae canimus, sine fine dicentes:		It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should in all times, and in all places, give thanks to Thee, holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God, through Christ our Lord. Whom Thou, clement and faithful, promised as a Savior to the lost race of men; Whose truth instructed the ignorant, Whose sanctity justified the impious, Whose virtues strengthened the weak. Therefore while the advent approaches of Him Who was sent, and the day of our liberation draws ever nearer, we exalt with pious joys in the confidence of Thy promises. And therefore, with angels and archangels, with Thrones and Dominations, and with all the host of the heavenly army, we sing a hymn to Thy glory, ever saying:
Or the celebrant may say:
Preface of the Most Holy Trinity
	Vere dignum et iustum est, aequum et salutare, nos tibi semper, et ubique gratias agere: Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, aeterne Deus. Qui cum unigenito Filio tuo, et Spiritu Sancto, unus es Deus, unus es Dominus: non in unius singularitate personae, sed in unius Trinitate substantiae. Quod enim de tua gloria, revelante te, credimus, hoc de Filio tuo, hoc de Spiritu Sancto, sine differentia discretionis sentimus. Ut in confessione verae, sempiternaeque Deitatis, et in personis proprietas, et in essentia unitas, et in maiestate adoretur aequalitas. Quam laudant Angeli atque Archangeli, Cherubim quoque ac Seraphim: qui non cessant clamare quotidie, una voce dicentes:		It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God; Who, together with Thine only-begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost, art one God, one Lord: not in the oneness of a single Person, but in the Trinity of one substance. For what we believe by Thy revelation of Thy glory, the same do we believe of Thy Son, the same of the Holy Ghost, without difference or separation. So that in confessing the true and everlasting Godhead, distinction in persons, unity in essence, and equality in majesty may be adored. Which the Angels and Archangels, the Cherubim also and Seraphim do praise: who cease not daily to cry out, with one voice saying:
COMMUNION ¤ Isaias 7. 4
	Ecce Virgo concipiet et pariet filium: et vocabitur nomen eius Emmanuel.		Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son: and His name shall be called Emmanuel.
POSTCOMMUNION
	Sumptis muneribus, quaesumus Domine, ut cum frequentatione mysterii, crescat nostrae salutis effectus. Per Dominum nostrum, Iesum Christum, Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.		Having received Thy gifts, we beseech Thee, O Lord: that as we frequent this Mystery, so the world of our salvation may advance. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.