The Second Sunday of Advent (Ps) December 8th

Psalm 107:1-14

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever!

²    Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,

whom he has redeemed from trouble

³    and gathered in from the lands,

from the east and from the west,

from the north and from the south.

⁴    Some wandered in desert wastes,

finding no way to a city to dwell in;

⁵    hungry and thirsty,

their soul fainted within them.

⁶    Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

⁷    He led them by a straight way

till they reached a city to dwell in.

⁸    Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!

⁹    For he satisfies the longing soul,

and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

¹⁰    Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,

prisoners in affliction and in irons,

¹¹    for they had rebelled against the words of God,

and spurned the counsel of the Most High.

¹²    So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;

they fell down, with none to help.

¹³    Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

¹⁴    He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,

and burst their bonds apart.

Amen.

What is this? Answer:

That I should be certain that such petitions are acceptable to and heard by our Father in heaven, for he himself commanded us to pray like this and has promised to hear us. “Amen, amen” means “Yes, yes, it is going to come about just like this.”

Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.