Sunday between 18 and 24 December
Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year B)
First Reading - 2 Samuel 7.1-9, 11b, 16
A reading from the second book of Samuel.
David, the king,
was settled in his house,
and the Lord had given him rest
from all his enemies
around him.
So David said
to the prophet Nathan, ‘I now live
in a house
built from cedar,
but the ark of God
still lives
in a tent.’
At first, the prophet Nathan replied,
‘Do whatever you have in mind;
for the Lord is with you.’
But that same night, the word of the Lord
came to the prophet Nathan,
that he should instead
give to king David
this word from the Lord:
‘I have not lived
in a house
from the day I brought
my people
out of Egypt, to this day;
but I have travelled
with my people,
with a tent
as my only dwelling.
I appointed leaders
to shepherd my people,
but I never asked
any one of them
to build me a house of cedar.
I took you from the pasture,
from following the sheep,
to be my servant,
and the leader of my people.
Wherever you have gone,
I have been with you.
I have defeated
your enemies
all around you.
And now, I will make your name great
in all the earth.
You will not
make a house
for the Lord
to live in;
but I, the Lord,
will make your house
and your kingdom
secure,
and establish
your throne
for ever.’
This is the word of the Lord.
Second Reading - Romans 16.25-27
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
Glory to God, who strengthens you
to stand firm
in the good news of Jesus Christ
that we proclaim!
And Glory to God, at whose command
this good news
has been revealed,
first through the writings of the prophets, and now
by proclamation to all the nations,
so that all people
might come to believe and trust
in Jesus Christ!
To the one eternal God of all wisdom
be glory for ever!
This is the word of the Lord.
Gospel - Luke 1.26-38
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to Luke.
The angel Gabriel was sent by God
to a town called Nazareth, in Galilee,
to Mary, engaged to a man called Joseph, who was
descended from the line of king David.
The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary
and said, ‘Greetings, O favoured one!
The Lord is with you!’
Mary was overcome with fear,
and wondered what this greeting could mean.
The angel said, ‘Mary, do not be afraid,
for you have found favour with God.
And now, you will conceive, and bear a son,
and you will name him Jesus.
He will be great, and will be called
the Son of the Most High.
And the Lord God will give to him
the throne
of his ancestor David.
He will reign over the people of Jacob for ever.
And his kingdom will never end.’
Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be,
for I am not yet
joined to my husband, or any man.’
The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit
will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High
will surround you.
And the child to be born
will be holy;
and will be called
the Son of God.
And your relative Elizabeth, childless
in her old age, will also bear a son;
and is already in her sixth month,
for every promise of God
will be fulfilled.’
And Mary said, ‘I am a servant of the Lord.
May the word
that you have spoken
be fulfilled.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord.