Catholic TV Mass Online December 22, 2024: Fourth Sunday of Advent

Presider: Fr. Brian Walker, O.P. Parish: Dominican Friars Choir: Holy Apostles Crescendo Text from the Gospel and Homily The Lord be with you. And with your spirit. A proclamation of the holy gospel according to St. Luke. Glory to you, o Lord. Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth filled with the holy spirit cried out in a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled." The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ. Here we are at the last Sunday of Advent, and if you listen to the reading it seems that we are back at the beginning. Why? Mary is just finding out that she's pregnant. Doesn't it seem strange? I mean I have to admit that I was a little stumped because I thought that there must have been some mistake. And that we surely should have something a little bit better. We should be hearing something preparing us for the setting of Christmas. Especially since it's just a few days away. I even had to go to the commentaries since it was such a strange thing that seemed to be coming to my ears. And then all of a sudden it hit me. Mary sets the pace. During these weeks of Advent, we have been asking the Lord to come into our hearts. To make us a better people. We have been waiting for the Lord's coming. So much is happening in our world and taking place in a very special way. In other words, there is movement. Mary has just found out that she is going to be the mother of the Lord and instead of sitting around and waiting for the Lord she goes out and does something positive. She has risked everything to help her elderly cousin. She is proactive in all this and it moves, it moves her, it moves so much. Isn't it funny that Jesus is not necessarily the place but Jesus is the way? We need to be proactive as well. Let us not just sit around waiting for the Lord to work in our lives and not do a blessed thing. No, we need to do something. May we go forth knowing that Mary has set the pace. And if we trust if we trust, the Lord that we have waited for will show up and say, ok let's go. Amen. Entrance: O Come O Come Emmanuel Text: LM with refrain; Latin, 9th cent.; verses 1, 3–6, para. in Psalteriolum Cantionum Catholicarum, Cologne, 1710; tr. by John Mason Neale, 1818–1866; verses 2, 7 tr. fr. The Hymnal 1940, alt. Music: Processionale, 15th cent. French; adapt. by Thomas Helmore, 1811–1890; Chant, Mode I. Psalm 80: Lord, Make Us Turn to You Text © 1969, 1981, 1997, ICEL. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Music © 2016, Chris Muglia. Published by OCP. All rights reserved. Gospel Acclamation: Advent Alleluia Music Copyright © 2013 by GIA Publications, Inc. • All Rights Reserved Preparation: Wait For The Lord Text: Isaiah 40, Philippians 4, Matthew 6-7; Taizé Community, 1984 Tune: Jacques Berthier, 1923-1994 © 1984, Les Presses de Taizé, GIA Publications, Inc., agent Lamb of God: Music adapt. © 1993, 2012, Cooperative Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. Exclusive agent: OCP. Communion: Hail Mary, Gentle Woman Text based on Luke 1:28. Text and music © 1975, 1978, Carey Landry and NALR. Published by OCP Publications. All rights reserved. Sending Forth: Soon and Very Soon Text: 57 57 57 with refrain; Andrae Crouch, b. 1945. Music: SOON AND VERY SOON; Andrae Crouch; adapt. By William F. Smith, b. 1941. Text and music © 1976 Bud John Songs, Inc/Crouch Music. Admin by EMI Christian Music Publishing. All rights reserved. Used by permission Mass Setting: Mass of Angels and Saints Music: Mass of the Angels and Saints, Steven R. Janco, © 1996, GIA Publications, Inc. Permission to podcast/stream the music in this liturgy obtained from ONE LICENSE, License No. A-718591. www.HeartoftheNation.org