ST PAULS MEDIA FESOTEWNTIIS7 UHAY © GEM ISSALE TT EGU - FORA SYNODAL CHURCH: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION, MISSION, = —____ SYNob 2021-2023 Year 37 No. 27 3rd Sunday of Advent (B) — Rose or Violet December 17, 2023 Gaudete Sunday | Simbang Gabi — White THE LORD IS NEAR! by Leo-Martin Angelo R. Ocampo, OP ‘he entrance antiphon from highlighted by its contrast :» Paul's Letterto the Philippians with all the merriment gives a special name to this Third . around us. Sunday of Advent: Gaudete. tis. Nevertheless the imperative form of a verb in Chyistmas joy cannot be Latin, which the liturgy addresses. equated with feasting on of us here today. “Rejoice °% e weal “Rejoice good food and opening in the Lord always; again | say, Gynensive presents, not tejoice. Indeed, the Lordisnear:” even witha happy family Gaudete signals that Christmas. gathered together in is near. Purple gives way to rose _perfectharmony. Without or pink in the candles of the all these, Christmas is ‘Advent wreath and the vestments. still possible, as surely it of the liturgy. Sorrow yields to happened nowhere else joy as we anticipate the coming but in the poor stable of of Jesus. Everywhere we go, we Bethlehem and dawned find ourselves surrounded by the on shepherds in the deep sights and sounds of “the most _of night. Even in poverty wonderful time of the year.” and darkness—in fact, Christmas is very near indeed. precisely in poverty and Butis the Lord also near? Are our darkness—Jesus is born. heats filled with gladness as we ag we read the wait fot his coming? entrance antiphon more closely, problems and hardships do not ‘As we grow older, we realize we see that Paul himself tells us ‘disappear at the coming of Jesus. that Christmas is not always a the only reason we can rejoice: Butour fear gives way to trust, our joyous occasion. While many are Gaudete... Dominus enim prope anxiety yields to hope, and the excited, many are also anxious, est. Let us carefully listen to the sadness of our heart is overcome especially now that prices have words of Paul: “Rejoice... the by joy, simply because the Lord ‘gone so high that more and more _Lordis neat.” They do notsay that _is with us. His mere presence people could barely afford even the solutions to our problems are is more than enough for us. His the basic necessities. Christmas near. Notthat the good and happy nearness assures us that no matter can also bring with it not just life we have always aspired and - how hard our life may get, we will happy memories and feelings but worked for is near. Not even that _alwaysbe allright because'we ate ‘also sad ones. ust listen toll the our salvation itself is near. Buthe _ with him. His love alone fills our gloomy Christmas carols, and simply says to us, “Rejoice, the hearts to overflowing. ‘you will realize how most of us Lord is near.” 5 “Rejoice in the Lord always; have had many sad Christmases, As for Mary and Joseph in that again | say, rejoice... the Lord is and our loneliness is further dark, damp, and ditty cave, our near.”LSTA ay Entrance Antiphon (Phil4:4-6) (Recitad when there is no opening song.) Rejoice in the Lord always; again | say, rejoice. Indeed, the ie Lord is near. Lighting of the Advent Candles (The lighting ofthe third candle of tie Advent wreath may be made after the entrance ong, with he following or any similar prayer) P—Father, at the height of our Advent walk, we relight the candles of hope and peace, and we light the candie of joy. Grant us the courage to experience joy in hope of the Savior's coming: joy in the face of apathy, joy in the face of sorrow, joy in the face of uncertainty. All—Amen, Greeting (The sign ofthe cross is made here.) P_the Lord be with you. All—And with your spirit. Introduction (These [or similar words} may be used to address the assembly) P—Ihe Third Sunday of Advent is Gaudete Sunday, a Sunday of rejoicing. The Church, the People of God, rejoices in salvation from siti, inviting everyone to rejoice and create conditions that the salvation brought by the Lord Jesus may be shared by all. Penitential Act P—Brethren (brothers and sisters), let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries. (Pause) P—You were sent to heal the contrite of heart: Lord, have mercy. All—Lord, have mercy. P_You came to call sinners: Christ, have mercy. All—Christ, have mercy. P—You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us: Lord, have mercy. All—Lord, have mercy. P—May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. All_Amen, (The Glovia isomitied Atthe Aguinaldo ‘Mass, however, the Gloria i sung or recited.) (© God who see how your people faithfully await the feast of the Lord's Nativity, enable us, we pray, to attain the oys of great salvation and to celebrate them always with solemn worship and glad rejoicing Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you.in.the unity of the Holy Spitit, God, for ever and ever. All—Amen, THE LITURGY aa ES First Reading (ls 61:1-2a, 10-11) (Sid) The spirit of Gaudete Sunday is expressed in the words that the prophet addresses to the broken- hhearied Israelites i exile. God will heal them and bring them back to their own land. Jesus will make these words his oun when he begins his public ministry A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. THE SPIRIT of the Lord GOD isupon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring lad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year 4f favor from the LORD anda day of vindication by our God. 1 rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation and wrapped me in‘a mantle of justice, like a bridegroom adomed with a diadem, like a bride bedecked with her jewels. As the earth brings forth its plants, and a garden makes its growth spring up, so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise spring up before all the nations. —The word of the Lord. All—Thanks be to God. Responsorial Psalm (Uk 1) R—My soul Fejoices in my God. Se NLC,A. Parco, SP St nin gn 1. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,/ for he has looked upon‘ his lowly servant,/ From this day all generations will call me blessed. (R) 2. The Almighty has done great things for me,/ and holy is his Name/ He has mercy on those who fear him/ in every generation.(R) 3. He has filled the hungry with good things,/ and the rich he has sent away empty,/ He has come to the help of his servant Israel/ for he has remembered his promise of mercy. (R) Second Reading (1 Thes 5:16-24) Paul asks the early Christians to ‘prepare or the Lord's coming with joy in their hearts, with prayer ‘on their lips, and with a life of holiness. A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians BROTHERS AND SISTERS: Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing, In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good. Refrain from every kind of evil. May the God of peace make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spiny, soul, and cody, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it. —The word of the Lord.— Alleluia (Is 61:i [citedinc4:18)) (Stand) Heluia, alleluia. The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring la tings fo the por. Alleluia, alletuia, Gospel (Jn 1:6-8, 19-28) P—A reading from the holy Gospel according t6 John All—Glory to you, O Lord, A MAN named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him, He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. And this Is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are yout” He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “lam not the Christ.” So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “lam not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” He said: lam the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,’as Isaiah the prophet said.” Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, "Why:then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap | am not worthy to untie.” This happened in Bethany across, the Jordan, where John was baptizing. —The Gospel of the Lor All—Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ. Homily (Si) Profession of Faith (Stand) All—I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of al things visible and invisible, I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made, For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, (At the words tha follow 1 to and including and became man, all bowand by the Holy Spit was incarnate ofthe Virgin ry, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to jue the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. Ibelievein one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. | confess ‘one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and | look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life ofthe world to come. Amen. Prayer of the Faithful P—Let us confidently bring our prayers before God the Father, Who is the joy of our souls, as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of Christ our Savior. Full of trust, we pray: R—God, source of our joy, listen to our prayer. (C—May the Church become a source of joy to those who are suffering and commit herself 0 defend at all times the dignity and sanctity of human life, We pray: (R) C—May world leaders unite to combat all forms of violence and human degradation, implement laws to protect the voiceless members of society, and exert every effort to brin justice and peace. We pray: (R C—May victims of human trafficking, migrants, refugees, and those who suffer from war, persecution, natural disasters and poverty, find hope and healing in Jesus; may: they be freed from their bondage and find emotional, physical, and spiritual healing from the communities who welcome them. We pray: (R) C—May policemen, law enforcers, those who defend, protect, and care for the victims of injustice and those who educate others and spread their advocacy about human rights violation be free from harm, be filled with hope and joy, and remain committed to their work. We pray: (R) (C—May God bring to eternal joy and peace those who died from war, violence, and abuse. We pray:(R) C—Let us pray for the urgent concerns of our community and ‘our personal intentions (pause), We pray: (R) P—God of joy and mercy,as we wait forthe Lord's coming, look with compassion upon us. Sustain us with your love and care in all our travails, even as you assure us of your love and Care in all that we do. ‘Through Christ our Lord. All — Amen. Ua a ae TS Presentation of the Gifts (Stand) P_Pray, brethre All—May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the raise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church. Prayer over the Offerings P—May the sacrifice of our worship, Lord, we pray, be offered to you unceasingly, to complete what was begun in sacred mystery and powerfully accomplish for us your saving work. Through Christ our Lord. All—Amen,Preface Il of Advent —The Lord be with you. All—And with your spirit, P—Lift up your hearts. ‘AllWellft them up to the Lord. P—Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. All-it is right and just. Pot 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 ingin Mother longed for him with love beyond all telling, John the Baptist sang of his coming and proclaimed his presence when he came. Itis by his gift that already we rejoice at the mystery of his Nativity, so that he may find us watchful in prayer and cexultant 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 en acclaim: Al_Holy; Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. (Knee!) Acclamation (Stand) All—When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we im your Death, O Lord, ou come agai STs The Lord's Prayer All—Our Father... P—Deliver us, Lord... All—For the kingdom, the * power and the glory are yours now and for ever. Invitation to Peace Invitation to Communion (Kneel) P—Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away PILGRIMAGE SCHEDULES JOURNEYS TO THE LAND OF TIIE DIDLE (Jan 30 Feb 12,2024) Egypt-lsrael-Jordan with Fr. Serafin “Perry” Peralta C.M, ADRIATIC COAST WITH MnDyUG: May’, 2024) ‘Austria - Slovenia - Boshia Hercegovina - Croatia - Montenegro ‘with Fr, Omer Prieto MARIAN APPARITIONS IN WESTERN EUROPE, (Ape 22 - May 7, 2024) Italy «France - Spain - Portugal with Fr, Nic Salamanca "LOS COLORES DEL CIBLO": THE COLORS OF HEAVEN AT OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, MEXICO (Apr 23- May 3, 2024) ‘with Fr, Bong Tupino HOLY LAND: BEYOND BASICS (Apr29 - May 10,2024) Tatael with Domle Gtizman, SSP. ‘with optional extension to Jordan GONTAG) Setting the GOLD standard in PILGRIMAGES JOURNEYS worm Joutneys.com.-ph the sins of the world. Blessed coming again, sanctify you by are those called to the supper’ the radiance of Christ’s Advent of the Lamb. and enrich you with his blessing, All—Lord, | am not worthy All—Amen. that you should enter under pas you run the race of this rd ead CoN skdtbepresentlife, may he make you haity _ fim i faith, joyl in hope, Communion Antiphon (Ch1535:4) P_So that, rejoicing now with ———— _ devotion at the Redeemer’s Say to the faint of heart: Be coming inthe flesh, you may be strong and donot fear. Behold, endowed with the rich reward our God will come, and he of eternal life when he comes re us again in majesty. se All—Amen. Frayer after Communion “nd may the blessing of Gerd almighty God, the Father, and Poletus pray. Pause) the Son, (1) and the Holy Spirit, We implore your mercy, _comedownon youand remain Lord, that this divine with you for ever. sustenance may cleanse us _AllAmen. of our faults and prepare US pycrni forthe coming fedsts. Dismissal Through Christ our Lord. p_Go forth the Mass is ended All—Ames All—Thanks be to God. ee eS P_The Lord be with you. 00 YOU WANT TO All—And with your spirit. SUBSCRIBE TO SAMBUHAY DIGITAL MISSALETTE? For inquiries and orders Solemn Blessing P—Bow down for the blessing. (Pause) | FB: Sambuhay Missalette May the almighty and merciful God, by whose grace | OMAIL: sambuhay@stpauls.ph you have placed your faith in| TEL: (02) 8695-9701 the First Coming of his Only Begotten Son and yearn for his,