Liturgical Information
The Fourth Sunday of Advent (A)

Liturgical Color: Violet [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: Mary, promise, love, God-with-us, Savior, hospitality, service

Entrance Antiphon [Introit]:

Drop down dew from above, you heavens, and let the clouds rain down the Just One; let the earth be opened and bring forth a Savior. based on Isaiah 45:8 [Roman Missal]

Rorate cæli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum: aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem.
Ps. Cæli enarrant gloriam Dei: et opera manuum eius annunciat firmamentum. [Graduale Romanum, p.34]

Rorate cæli desuper, et nubes pluant iustum: aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem.
Ps. Cæli enarrant gloriam Dei: et opera manuum eius annunciat firmamentum. [Gregorian Missal, p.180]

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

Collect:

Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,
your grace into our hearts,

that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son
was made known by the message of an An-gel,

may by his Passion and Cross
be brought to the glory of his Res-ur-rection.

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 7:10-14 [The virgin will be with child and bear a son. /v.14]
Psalm 24:1-2 / 3-4 / 5-6 [R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory. /v.7,10]
Romans 1:1-7 [Christ Jesus was born of the seed of David according to the flesh. /v.3]
Gospel Verse: Matthew 1:23 [The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel.]
Matthew 1:18-24 [Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. /v.18]

Offertory Antiphon:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Luke 1:28 **
Verses of Psalm 25 can also be sung between repetitions of the antiphon.

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum: benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventri tui. [Graduale Romanum, p.36]

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum: benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventri tui. [Gregorian Missal, p.183]

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 Holy Spirit, O Lord,
sanctify these gifts laid upon your al-tar,

just as he filled with his power the womb of the Blessed Vir-gin Mary.

Through Christ our Lord. A-men.

Preface II of Advent: [The twofold expectation 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 all the oracles of the prophets foretold him,
the Virgin Mother longed for him
with love beyond all telling,
John the Baptist sang of his coming
and proclaimed his presence when he came.

It is by his gift that already we rejoice
at the mystery of his Nativity,
so that he may find us watchful in prayer
and exultant in his praise.

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:

Behold, a Virgin shall conceive and bear a son; and his name will be called Emmanuel.Isaiah 7:14 [Roman Missal]

Ecce virgo concipiet, et pariet filium: et vocabitur nomen eius Emmanuel. Isaiah 7:14 [Graduale Romanum, p.37]
Psalm 19:2,3,4,5,6,7 can also be sung between repetitions of this antiphon.

Ecce virgo concipiet, et pariet filium: et vocabitur nomen eius Emmanuel. Isaiah 7:14 [Gregorian Missal, p.184]

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

Prayer after Communion:

Hav-ing received this pledge of eternal redemption,
we pray, almighty God,
that, as the feast day of our salvation draws ever near-er,

so we may press forward all the more eagerly
to the worthy celebration of the mystery of your Son's Na-tivity.

Who lives and reigns for ev-er and ev-er. 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 Fourth Sunday of Advent (A)