Third Sunday of Advent

Purple or Rose

1st Class

   On this day the Church urges us to gladness in the middle of this time of expectation and penitence: the coming of Jesus approaches more and more. St. John, the holy precursor, announces to the Jews the coming of the Savior. "The Savior," he says to them, "lives already among us, though unknown. He will soon appear openly." Now is the time for fervent prayers and for imploring Jesus to remain with us by His mercy. Let us prepare the way for Him by repentance and by a worthy reception of the Sacraments. All the prayers of this Mass are filled with that which the Church wishes our souls to be possessed at the approach of the Savior.

INTROIT ¤ Phil. 4. 4-6
	Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico gaudete. Modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus enim prope est. Nihil solliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione petitiones vestrae innotescant apud Deum. -- Benedixisti, Domine, terram tuam: acertisti captivitatem Iacob. V.: Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto. Sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper, et in saecula saeculorium. Amen. Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico gaudete. Modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus enim prope est. Nihil solliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione petitiones vestrae innotescant apud Deum.		Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, rejoice. Let your modesty be known to all men: for the Lord is nigh. Be nothing solicitous: but in every thing by prayer let your petitions be made known to God. -- (Ps. 84. 2). Lord, Thou hast blessed Thy land: Thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob. 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. Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, rejoice. Let your modesty be known to all men: for the Lord is nigh. Be nothing solicitous: but in every thing by prayer let your petitions be made known to God.
The Gloria in Excelsis is omitted.
COLLECT
	Aurem tuam, quaesumus Domine, precibus nostris accommoda: et mentis nostrae tenebras gratiae tuae visitationis illustra. Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.		Incline Thine ear, we beseech Thee, O Lord, to our petitions: and, by the grace of Thy visitation, enlighten the darkness of our minds. Who livest and reignest, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.
EPISTLE ¤ Phil 4. 4-7 Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Philippians. Lectio Epistolae beati Pauli Apostoli ad Philippenses. ["The Lord is nigh," says St. Paul, "rejoice in the Lord." May our faith and hope in Jesus Christ our Lord, always increase!]
	Fratres: Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete. Modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus prope est. Nihil soliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione, et obsecratione, cum gratiarum actione, petitiones vestrae innotescant apud Deum. Et pax Dei, quae exsuperat omnem sensum, custodiat corda vestra et intelligentias vestras, in Christo Iesu Domino nostro.		Brethren, Rejoice in the Lord always: again I say, rejoice. Let your modesty be known to all men. The Lord is nigh. Be nothing solicitous: but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.
GRADUAL ¤ Ps. 72. 2, 3, 6
	Qui sedes, Domine, super Cherubim, excita potentiam tuam, et veni. V.: Qui regis Israel, intende: qui deducis velut ovem, Ioseph.    Alleluia, alleluia. V.: Excita, Domine, potentiam tuam, et veni ut salvos facias nos. Alleluia.		Thou, O Lord, that sittest upon the Cherubim, stir up Thy might and come. V.: Give ear, O Thou that rulest Israel: that leadest Joseph like a sheep.    Alleluia, alleluia. V.: Stir up, O Lord, Thy might, and come to save us. 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 ¤ John 1. 19-28 † Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. John. † Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum Ioannem. [St. John, the precursor of Our Lord, announces the coming of the Messias, tells of His majesty and greatness, and effaces himself before Him, for "he gives testimony of the true Light, who is Jesus."]
	In illo tempore: Miserunt Iudaei ab Ierosolymis sacerdotes et levitas ad Ioannem, ut interrogarent eum: Tu quis es? Et confessus est, et non negavit: et confessus est: Quia non sum ego Christus. Et interrogaverunt eum: Quid ergo? Elias es tu? Et dixit: Non sum. Propheta es tu? et respondit: Non. Dixerunt ergo ei: Quis es, ut reponsum demus his qui miserunt nos? Quid dicis de te ipso? Ait: Ego vox clamantis in deserto: Dirigite viam Domini, sicut dixit Isaias Propheta. Et qui missi fuerant, erant ex Pharisaeis. Et interrogaverunt eum, et dixerunt ei: Quid ergo baptizas, si tu non es Christus, neque Elias, neque Propheta? Respondit eis Ioannes, dicens: Ego baptizo in aqua: medius autem vestrum stetit, quem vos nescitis. Ipse est, qui post me venturus est, qui ante me factus est: cuius ego non sum dignus ut solvam eius corrigiam calceamenti. Haec in Bethania facta sunt trans Iordanem, ubi erat Ioannes baptizans.		At that time the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and levites to John, to ask him: Who art thou? And he confessed, and did not deny: and he confessed: I am not the Christ. And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the Prophet? And he answered: No. They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself? He said: I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the Prophet Isaias. And they that were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said to him: Why then dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the Prophet? John answered them, saying: I baptize with water: but there hath stood one in the midst of you whom you know not. The same is He that shall come after me, who is preferred before me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose. These things were done in Bethania, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
OFFERTORY ¤ Ps. 84. 2, 3
	Benedixisti, Domine, terram tuam: avertisti captivitatem Iacob: remisisti iniquitatem plebis tuae.		Lord, Thou hast blessed Thy land: Thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob: Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of Thy people.
SECRET
	Devotionis nostrae tibi, quaesumus Domine, hostia iugiter immoletur: quae et sacri peragat instituta mysterii, et salutare tuum in nobis mirabiliter operetur. Per Dominum nostrum, Iesum Christum, Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.		May the Sacrifice of our devotion, we beseech Thee, O Lord, be continually offered up to Thee, may it both complete the institution of the holy Mysteries, and wondrously accomplish in us Thy salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee 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 35. 4
	Dicite: Pusillanimes confortamini, et nolite timere: ecce Deus noster veniet, et salvabit nos.		Say: Ye fainthearted, take courage and fear not: behold our God will come, and will save us.
POSTCOMMUNION
	Imploramus, Domine, clementiam tuam: ut haec divina subsidia a vitiis expiatos, ad festa ventura nos praeparent. Per Dominum nostrum, Iesum Christum, Filium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.		We implore, O Lord, Thy mercy: that these divine helps may expiate our sins, and prepare us for the approaching feast. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who with Thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end.