The 19th of December, 2021 is the Fourth Sunday of Advent. The Holy Bible verses for the mass readings for this day came from the Liturgical Calendar of the Year 2022.
Reading 1: MI 5:1-5A
The first reading from the Book of Micah.
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me who is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings out are from of old, from ancient times.
Therefore he will abandon them until the time that she who is in labor gives birth. Then the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel.
He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of Yahweh, in the majesty of the name of Yahweh his God. They will live, for then he will be great to the ends of the earth.
He will be our peace.
Responsorial Psalm: PS 80:1-2, 14-15, 17-18
Response: Turn us again, God. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.
Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock, you who sit above the cherubim, shine out.
Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up your might! Come to save us!
R: Turn us again, God. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.
Turn again, we beg you, God of Armies. Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine, the stock which your right hand planted, the branch that you made strong for yourself.
R: Turn us again, God. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.
Let your hand be on the man of your right hand, on the son of man whom you made strong for yourself.
So we will not turn away from you. Revive us, and we will call on your name.
R: Turn us again, God. Cause your face to shine, and we will be saved.
Reading 2: HEB 10:5-10
The second reading from The Letter to the Hebrews.
Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, “You didn’t desire sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for me.
You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.’_”
Previously saying, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them” (those which are offered according to the law), then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He takes away the first, that he may establish the second, by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Gospel of the Day: LK 1:39-45
From the gospel scripture according to Luke.
Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, and entered into 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.
She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!
Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”
