Isaiah 64:1-9

O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
so that the mountains would quake at your presence–

as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil–

to make your name known to your adversaries,
so that the nations might tremble at your presence!

When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.

From ages past no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,

no eye has seen any God besides you,
who works for those who wait for him.

You meet those who gladly do right,
those who remember you in your ways.

But you were angry, and we sinned;
because you hid yourself we transgressed.

We have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.

We all fade like a leaf,
and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

There is no one who calls on your name,
or attempts to take hold of you;

for you have hidden your face from us,
and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.

Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;
we are the clay, and you are our potter;
we are all the work of your hand.

Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord,
and do not remember iniquity forever.
Now consider, we are all your people.

 

Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18

1 Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.

2 In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
stir up your strength and come to help us.

3 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

4 O Lord God of hosts, *
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?

5 You have fed them with the bread of tears; *
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.

6 You have made us the derision of our neighbors, *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

7 Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

16 Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, *
the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.

17 And so will we never turn away from you; *
give us life, that we may call upon your Name.

18 Restore us, O Lord God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

 

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind– just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you– so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Mark 13:24-37

Jesus said, “In those days, after that suffering,

the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

 

HYMNS

 

LO, HE COMES WITH CLOUDS DESCENDING

 

Lo, he comes with clouds descending, once for our salvation slain;

Thousand, thousand saints attending swell the triumph of his train;

Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Christ the Lord returns to reign.

 

Every eye shall now behold him, robed in dreadful majesty;

Those who set at nought and sold him, pierced and nailed him to the tree,

Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, shall the true Messiah see.

 

Those dear tokens of his passion, still his dazzling body bears,

Cause of endless exultation to his ransomed worshippers;

With what rapture, with what rapture, gaze we on those glorious scars!

 

Yea, amen!  Let all adore thee, high on thine eternal throne;

Savior, take the power and glory; claim the kingdom for thine own;

Alleluia!   Alleluia!   Thou shalt reign and thou alone.

 

 

CHRIST IS THE WORLD’S TRUE LIGHT

 

Christ is the world’s true Light, its Captain of salvation,

The Daystar clear and bright of every race and nation;

New life, new hope awakes, for all who own his sway;

Freedom her bondage breaks, and night is turned to day.

 

In Christ all races meet, their ancient feuds forgetting,

The whole round world complete, from sunrise to its setting;

When Christ is throned as Lord, all shall forsake their fear,

To ploughshare beat the sword, to pruning hook the spear.

 

One Lord in one great Name, unite us all who own thee;

Cast out our pride and shame that hinder to enthrone thee;

The world has waited long, has travailed long in pain;

To heal its ancient wrong, come, Prince of Peace and reign.

 

 

THE KING SHALL COME WHEN MORNING DAWNS

 

The King shall come when morning dawns

And light triumphant breaks;

When beauty gilds the eastern hills

And life to joy awakes.

 

Not, as of old, a little child,

To bear, and fight, and die,

But crowned with glory like the sun

That lights the morning sky.

 

The King shall come when morning dawns

And earth’s dark night is past;

O haste the rising of that morn,

The day that e’er shall last.

 

And let the endless bliss begin,

By weary saints foretold,

When right shall triumph over wrong,

And truth shall be extolled.

 

The King shall come when morning dawns

And light and beauty brings;

Hail, Christ the Lord!  Thy people pray,

Come quickly, King of kings.

 

 

Prayer for Spiritual Communion

 

In union, O Lord, with your faithful people at every altar of your Church, where the Holy Eucharist is now being celebrated, I desire to offer to you praise and thanksgiving. I remember your death, Lord Christ; I proclaim your resurrection; I await your coming in glory. Since I cannot receive you today in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, I beseech you to come spiritually into my heart. Cleanse and strengthen me with your grace, Lord Jesus, and let me never be separated from you. May I live in you, and you in me, in this life and in the life to come. Amen.