Liturgical Information
The Third Sunday of Advent [Gaudete Sunday] (A)

Liturgical Color: Rose [Note: The color blue is not an authorized liturgical color for the Roman Rite in the United States. Its unfortunate occurrence during the season of Advent or for Marian feasts is not legitimate.]

Themes: rejoice, joy, preparation, coming, glory, splendor, John the Baptist

Entrance Antiphon [Introit]:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Indeed, the Lord is near. Philippians 4:4-5 [Roman Missal]

Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete: modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus: Dominus prope est. Nihil solliciti sitis: sed in omni oratione petitiones vestræ innotescant apud Deum.
Ps. Benedixisti, Domine, terram tuam: avertisti captivitatem Iacob. [Graduale Romanum, p.21]

Choose one Antiphona ad introitum and Psalmus from either of the two Masses for Advent [Graduale simplex, pp.53-63]

Collect:

O God, who see how your people
faithfully await the feast of the Lord's Nativi-ty,

en-able us, we pray,
to attain the joys of so great a salvation
and to celebrate them always
with solemn worship and glad re-joicing.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Ho-ly Spirit,
one God, for ev-er and ev-er. A-men.

Lectionary Readings:

Isaiah 35:1-6,10 [They will see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. /v.2]
Psalm 146:6-7 / 8-9 / 9-10 [R. Lord, come and save us. /based on Isaiah 35:4]
James 5:7-10 [You too be patient; for the coming of the Lord is at hand. /v.8]
Gospel Verse: Isaiah 61:1 [The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to to bring glad tidings to the poor]
Matthew 11:2-11 ["Are you the Coming One?"/v.3]

Offertory Antiphon:

O Lord, you have blessed your land, you have put an end to Jacob's captivity; you have forgotten the guilt of your people. Psalm 85:2 **
Verses of Psalm 25 can also be sung between repetitions of the antiphon.

Benedixisti, Domine, terram tuam: avertisti captivitatem Iacob: remisisti iniquitatem plebis tuæ. [Graduale Romanum, p.23]

Benedixisti, Domine, terram tuam: avertisti captivitatem Iacob: remisisti iniquitatem plebis tuæ. [Gregorian Missal, p.178]

Choose one Antiphona ad offertorium and Psalmus from either of the two Masses for Advent [Graduale simplex, pp.53-63]

Prayer over the Offerings:

May the sacrifice of our worship, Lord, we pray,
be offered to you unceasing-ly,

to complete what was begun in sacred mystery
and powerfully accomplish for us your sav-ing work.

Through Christ our Lord. A-men.

Preface I of Advent: [The two comings of Christ]

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.

For he assumed at his first coming
the lowliness of human flesh,
and so fulfilled the design you formed long ago,
and opened for us the way to eternal salvation,
that, when he comes again in glory and majesty
and all is at last made manifest,
we who watch for that day
may inherit the great promise
in which now we dare to hope.

And so, with Angels and Archangels,
with Thrones and Dominions,
and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven,
we sing the hymn of your glory,
as without end we acclaim:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts…

Communion Antiphon:

Say to the faint of heart: Be strong and do not fear. Behold, our God will come, and he will save us. based on Isaiah 35:4 [Roman Missal]

Dicite: Pusillanimes confortamini, et nolite timere: ecce Deus noster veniet, et salvabit nos. see Isaiah 35:4 [Graduale Romanum, p.23]
The Canticle of Isaiah [Is 35:1,2cd,2ef,3,5,6ab,7ab] can also be sung between repetitions of this antiphon.

Dicite: Pusillanimes confortamini, et nolite timere: ecce Deus noster veniet, et salvabit nos see Isaiah 35:4 [Gregorian Missal, p.179]

Choose one Antiphona ad communionem and Psalmus from either of the two Masses for Advent [Graduale simplex, pp.53-63]

Prayer after Communion:

We implore your mercy, Lord,

that this divine sustenance may cleanse us of our faults
and prepare us for the com-ing feasts.

Through Christ our Lord. A-men.

Solemn Blessing: [1. Advent]

May the almighty and merciful God,
by whose grace you have placed your faith
in the First Coming of his Only Begotten Son
and yearn for his coming again,
sanctify you by the radiance of Christ's Advent
and enrich you with his blessing. Amen.

As you run the race of this present life,
may he make you firm in faith,
joyful in hope and active in charity. Amen.

So that, rejoicing now with devotion
at the Redeemer's coming in the flesh,
you may be endowed with the rich reward of eternal life
when he comes again in majesty. Amen.

** An official, approved English translation of the Offertory Antiphon has never been published. The offertory antiphon used here is from the New American Bible, a Scripture translation approved for liturgical use in the United States.

The English translation of the Entrance Antiphon [Introit], Collect, Psalm Refrain, Gospel Verse, Prayer over the Offerings, Preface, Communion Antiphon, and Prayer after Communion from The Roman Missal, © Copyright 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corp. All rights reserved.

Excerpts from the First Reading, Second Reading and Gospel are taken from the New American Standard Bible ® © Copyright 1973 The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Liturgical InformationThe Third Sunday of Advent [Gaudete Sunday] (A)