17 December, 2023, 10.30am
To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:
Grace to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7)
Presider & Preacher: The Rev. Austin K. Rios
Assisting Priest: The Rev. Dr. Francisco Alberca
Organist: Stefano Vasselli
St. Paul’s Choir
The readings are taken from the New Revised Standard version of the Bible; the Psalms follow the Book of Common Prayer.
This service will be live-streamed on YouTube.
Prelude
Alessandro Pietro Yon (1886-1943)
Prelude on Rorate Coeli
Advent Responsory
I look from afar: and lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole earth.
Go ye out to meet him and say: ‘Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel?’
High and low, rich and poor, one with another, go ye out to meet him and say: ‘Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel?’
Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep.
Tell us, art thou he that should come?
Stir up thy strength, O Lord, and come to reign over thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
Hymn
Blest be the King whose coming
Valet will ich dir geben
All stand and sing.
Blest be the King whose coming
is in the name of God!
For him let doors be opened,
no hearts against him barred!
Not robed in royal splendor,
in power and pomp, comes he;
but clad as are the poorest,
such his humility!
Blest be the King whose coming
is in the name of God!
By those who truly listen
his voice is truly heard;
pity the proud and haughty,
who have not learned to heed
the Christ who is the Promise,
who has atonement made.
Blest be the King whose coming
is in the name of God!
He only to the humble
reveals the face of God.
All power is his, all glory!
All things are in his hand,
all ages and all peoples,
till time itself shall end!
Blest be the King whose coming
is in the name of God!
He offers to the burdened
the rest and grace they need.
Gentle is he and humble!
And light his yoke shall be,
for he would have us bear it
so he can make us free!
- Federico J. Pagura (b. 1923)
Opening Acclamation
Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and for ever. Amen.
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Trisagion
All sing together three times.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
The Collect of the Day
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
All are seated for the readings and the psalm.
The First Lesson
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
A reading from the prophet Isaiah.
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion— to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory. They shall build up the ancient ruins, they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. For I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Psalm
Psalm 126
In convertendo
We remain seated and sing the Antiphon with the choir.
Those who sowed with tears will reap with songs of joy.
1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, *
then were we like those who dream.
2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, *
and our tongue with shouts of joy. [Antiphon]
3 Then they said among the nations, *
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
4 The Lord has done great things for us, *
and we are glad indeed.
5 Restore our fortunes, O Lord, *
like the watercourses of the Negev. [Antiphon]
6 Those who sowed with tears *
will reap with songs of joy.
7 Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, *
will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves. [Antiphon]
The Second Lesson
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Thessalonians.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.
May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.
The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Gospel Hymn
Watchman, tell us of the night
Aberystwyth
All stand and sing.
Watchman, tell us of the night,
what its signs of promise are.
Traveler, o’er yon mountain’s height,
see that glory-beaming star.
Watchman, does its beauteous ray
aught of joy or hope foretell?
Traveler, yes; it brings the day,
promised day of Israel.
Watchman, tell us of the night;
higher yet that star ascends.
Traveler, blessedness and light,
peace and truth its course portends.
Watchman, will its beams alone
gild the spot that gave them birth?
Traveler, ages are its own;
see, it bursts o’er all the earth.
Watchman, tell us of the night,
for the morning seems to dawn.
Traveler, darkness takes its flight,
doubt and terror are withdrawn.
Watchman, let thy wanderings cease;
hie thee to thy quiet home.
Traveler, lo! the Prince of Peace,
lo! the Son of God is come!
- John Bowring (1792-1872)
The Gospel
John 1:6-8,19-28
The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Glory to you, Lord Christ.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.
This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’” as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
The Sermon
The Rev. Austin K. Rios
All are seated
The Nicene Creed
All stand and say together:
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
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 judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayers of the People
Stand or kneel for the Prayers as you are able.
In the pauses please add you own prayers and thanksgivings, aloud or in silence.
Presider:
Holy God, you have spoken through your prophets and called us to make straight the way of the Lord: Visit us with your grace to cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations, as we pray: God has done great things for us, and we are glad indeed.
Litanist:
O God of peace, you have called your people to rejoice always and to pray without ceasing, giving thanks in all circumstances: Sanctify your Church and her members that our spirit and soul and body may be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God has done great things for us, and we are glad indeed.
God of Justice and Mercy, you love justice and hate wrongdoing: Guide our leaders and all in authority, that they may bring good news to the oppressed, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, repair the ruined cities and cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
God has done great things for us, and we are glad indeed.
God of Compassion, look upon the needs of the world: Proclaim the year of your favor, and clothe your children with the garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness.
God has done great things for us, and we are glad indeed.
God of Grace, be among us in this community that we may be a people whom you have sanctified to testify to the light and to become oaks of righteousness.
God has done great things for us, and we are glad indeed.
Receive our prayers for those for whom we pray in intercession.
Pause
Hear our gratitude as we offer our thanksgivings.
Pause
Comfort all who mourn, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit, as we remember before you those who have died.
Pause
God has done great things for us, and we are glad indeed.
O God, who would fold both heaven and earth in a single peace: let the design of thy great love redeem the waste of our wraths and sorrows: and give peace to thy Church, peace among nations, peace in our dwellings, and peace in our hearts: through thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Collect after the Prayers
Loving God, your Advent people look expectantly for the coming of Christ: As the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, nurture our prayers and the thoughts of our hearts, that we may receive with joy the goodness of your strength and live in the power of the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
Confession of Sin and Absolution
All remain standing, or kneel, as able.
Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.
The Peace
All stand
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
We remain in our places as we take this time to greet all those around us in the name of peace and reconciliation.
Announcements
The Offertory
The greeters will pass among you to take up your financial offerings.
If you prefer to make a donation online or by credit card follow this link. For information on other ways to give, please visit www.stpaulsrome.it/donate.
Offertory Music
William Byrd (1543 – 1623)
Laetentur caeli
The Great Thanksgiving
Eucharistic Prayer B
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
Because you sent your beloved Son to redeem us from sin and death, and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life; that when he shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world, we may without shame or fear rejoice to behold his appearing.
Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:
Sanctus
All sing together.
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might,
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.
Stand or kneel after the Sanctus
We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world. In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.
On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
Therefore, according to his command, O Father,
We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;
And we offer our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to you, O Lord of all; presenting to you, from your creation, this bread and this wine.
We pray you, gracious God, to send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts that they may be the Sacrament of the Body of Christ and his Blood of the new Covenant. Unite us to your Son in his sacrifice, that we may be acceptable through him, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In the fullness of time,
put all things in subjection under your Christ, and bring us to that heavenly country where, with Saint Paul and all your saints, we may enter the everlasting heritage of your sons and daughters; through Jesus Christ our Lord, the firstborn of all creation, the head of the Church, and the author of our
salvation.
By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.
The Lord’s Prayer
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
We invite you to pray in your own languages.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;
Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!
The Fraction Anthem
All sing the Antiphon with the Choir.
[Antiphon]: My flesh is food indeed and my blood is drink indeed, says the Lord.
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. [Antiphon]
The Ministration of Communion
The gifts of God for the people of God.
All baptized Christians of any denomination are invited to come forward to participate fully in Communion. Baptized children may receive at the discretion of their parents.
If you do not wish to take communion you may come forward for a blessing,
indicated by crossing your arms over your chest. Gluten-free communion wafers are available;
please raise your hand at the altar rail to receive one.
Communion Music
Henry Purcell (1659 – 1695)
Rejoice in the Lord alway
Post Communion Prayer
Let us pray.
Almighty and everliving God,
we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food
of the most precious Body and Blood
of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;
and for assuring us in these holy mysteries
that we are living members of the Body of your Son,
and heirs of your eternal kingdom.
And now, Father, send us out
to do the work you have given us to do,
to love and serve you
as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord.
To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.
The Blessing
May Almighty God, by whose providence our Savior Christ came among us in great humility, sanctify you with the light of his blessing and set you free from all sin. Amen.
May he whose second Coming in power and great glory we await, make you steadfast in faith, joyful in hope, and constant in love. Amen.
May you, who rejoice in the first Advent of our Redeemer, at his second Advent be rewarded with unending life. Amen.
And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever. Amen.
Recessional Hymn
Hark! the glad sound! the Savior comes
Richmond
All sing together.
Hark! the glad sound! the Savior comes,
the Savior promised long:
let every heart prepare a throne,
and every voice a song.
He comes, the prisoners to release
in Satan’s bondage held;
the gates of brass before him burst,
the iron fetters yield.
He comes, the broken heart to bind,
the bleeding soul to cure;
and with the treasures of his grace
to enrich the humble poor.
Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace,
thy welcome shall proclaim;
and heaven’s eternal arches ring
with thy beloved Name.
- Philip Doddridge (1702-1751)
The Dismissal
Andiamo nel nome di Cristo! Let us go forth in the name of Christ.
Rendiamo grazie a Dio! Thanks be to God!
Postlude
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750)
Valet will ich dir geben