Second Sunday of Advent

Book of Baruch

Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever:
Wrapped in the cloak of justice from God, bear on your head the mitre that displays the glory of the eternal name.
For God will show all the earth your splendor:
you will be named by God forever the peace of justice, the glory of God's worship.
Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights; look to the east and see your children Gathered from the east and the west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that they are remembered by God.
Led away on foot by their enemies they left you: but God will bring them back to you borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones.
For God has commanded that every lofty mountain be made low, And that the age-old depths and gorges be filled to level ground, that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.
The forests and every fragrant kind of tree have overshadowed Israel at God's command;
For God is leading Israel in joy by the light of his glory, with his mercy and justice for company.

Psalms

When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
Then they said among the nations,
"the LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
they shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.

Letter to the Philippians

Brothers and sisters: I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,
because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now.
I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.
For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception,
to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
He went throughout (the) whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one crying out in the desert: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"

St. Narcisa de Jesús Martillo Morán(Layperson)

Saint Narcisa de Jesús Martillo Morán (1832-1869) St. Narcisa de Jesús Martillo Morán was born in the hamlet of St. Joseph, Nobol, Daule, Ecuador. The Dominicans had looked after it for almost three hundred years. Her parents, Peter Martillo and Josephine Morán, had a living faith. Peter Martillo was devoted to Saint Hyacinth of Poland and the future Saint Marianna of Jesus. He and Josephine were generous to the Church and raised nine children, of which Narcisa was the sixth. Josephine passed away in 1838 and left Narcisa to be educated by a teacher and an older sister. Narcisa learned to read, write, sing, play the guitar, sew, weave, embroider and cook. Often, her prayer turned into song. Narcisa perceived God's invitation to religious life at an early age: especially after receiving confirmation at age 7, on September 16. She began visiting a small wooded area near her home to contemplate divine realities. She also turned a small room in her house into a chapel. The tree of Guayabo, near where she prayed, is now a pilgrimage site. Narcisa emulated Saint Marianna of Jesus by accepted penances and voluntary suffering for the redemption of souls. She united herself to Jesus' salvific life whenever she did chores or worked in the fields. She was thoughtful, joyful and docile to the the Holy Spirit. She was also especially generous and attentive to the poor. She proved to be an excellent catechist to her family and the children of her neighborhood. In January 1852, Narcisa's father passed away. Narcisa then moved to Guayaquil and stayed with a well-known family who lived near the cathedral. She stayed there until 1868, except for the months in Cuenca. She moved houses a number of times for privacy and dedicated herself to prayer and penance. Meanwhile, she earned a living through tailoring. She also assisted the poor and the sick while following the advice of her spiritual directors. She began relying more on the will of Jesus instead of her own. She shared ideals and sometimes a house with the Blessed Mercedes of Jesus Molina. With a desire for greater perfection and advised by a Franciscan religious, Narcisa set out in June 1868 for Lima, Perù. She lived as a lay member in the Dominican convent of Patrocinio. The convent was founded in 1688, in the area where Saint John Macias grazed his flock. The Lord favored Narcisa with extraordinary gifts and showed her how pleasing her life was in the midst of trials. Toward the end of September 1869, Narcisa had high fevers. Medical treatments were ineffective, yet she prayed regularly and attended the celebration of the Eucharist daily. She dressed in white on the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary on December 8, 1869: the same day Blessed Pius IX opened Vatican Council I. At the end of the day, she took leave of her sisters, saying that she was going on a journey.This was taken as a joke because of her jovial and joyful nature. Not long after, one of the sisters noticed a splendor and a special fragrance emanating from Narcisa's cell. The community soon discovered that she had passed away. She was only 37. Afterward, it became known that she had made a private vow of perpetual virginity, poverty, obedience, enclosure, eremitical life, fasting on bread and water, daily Communion, confession, mortification and prayer. All these vows she kept faithfully. Narcisa's body remained incorrupt after her death and emitted a wonderful fragrance. There were many graces granted at her resting place. The city of Lima acclaimed her as a saint, as did the people of Guayaquil and Nobol. The Dominican Sisters of Patrocinio guarded the memory of her virtues and her tomb with great veneration until her body, practically incorrupt, was transferred to Guayaquil in 1955.The documents of the diocesan process of canonization were handed over to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in 1964. Pope John Paul II beatified Narcisa on October 25, 1992, and Pope Benedict XVI canonized her on October 12, 2008. On August 22, 1998, they dedicated a shrine in her honor at Nobol, where her incorrupt body rests. Devotion to the "Niña Narcisa" shows the spontaneous identification of ordinary people with this courageous and humble woman from the Ecuadorian coast.

St. Patapius(Hermit)

Saint PatapiusHermit St. Patapius founded a monastery in Constantinople. He was a hermit, but also a counselor and spiritual director. Two of his disciples became saints and founded religious institutes. His relics are enshrined near Athens.

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Category: Mass by Year / Catholic Missal 2024 / Catholic Missal of december 2024