Readings
Micah 5:1-4a
“Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops;
They have laid siege against us;
With a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek.
“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity.”
Therefore He will give them up until the time
When she who is in labor has borne a child.
Then the remainder of His brethren
Will return to the sons of Israel.
And He will arise and shepherd His flock
Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19
Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your power
And come to save us!
O God, restore us
And cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.
Even the shoot which Your right hand has planted,
And on the son whom You have strengthened for Yourself.
It is burned with fire, it is cut down;
They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.
Then we shall not turn back from You;
Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.
O Lord God of hosts, restore us;
Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.
Hebrews 10:5-10
Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,
“Sacrifice and offering You have not desired,
But a body You have prepared for Me;
In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure.
“Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come
(In the scroll of the book it is written of Me)
To do Your will, O God.’ ”
After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law),
then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second.
By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Luke 1:39-45
Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah,
and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
“And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me?
“For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.
“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”
(All reading derived from the NASB)
Further Reading
Marc Cortez: Forced to Wait: An Advent Reflection
Tripp Fuller: Caputo on Prayer at Advent
Scott Lencke: Advent 3: The Arrival
Amanda MacInnis: Random Thoughts on Christmas Carols, the Radio, Church and Advent
Tiffany Jo McDonald: Hopeful Signs: An Advent Sermon on John 1:6-28
Christian Salafia: Advent in a World of Violence
If you have recommended reading for the Second Sunday of Advent please leave a comment.
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