Advent Season — Gospel Acclamations
Weekdays until 16 December
| Advent Gospel Acclamations until 16 December | ||
| 1 | cf. Ps 79:4 | God of hosts, bring us back: let your face shine on us and we shall be saved. |
| 2 | Ps 84:8 | Let us see, O Lord, your mercy and give us your saving help. |
| 3 | Is 33:22 | The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord our king and our saviour. |
| 4 | Is 40: 9–10 | Shout with a loud voice, joyful messenger to Jerusalem. Here is the Lord God coming with power. |
| 5 | cf. Is 45:8 | Send victory like a dew, you heavens, and let the clouds rain it down. Let the earth open and bring forth the Saviour. |
| 6 | Is 55:6 | Seek the Lord while he is still to be found, call to him while he is still near. |
| 7 | Luke 3:4. 6 | Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight. And all mankind shall see the salvation of God. |
| 8 | Come Lord! Do not delay. Forgive the sins of your people. |
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| 9 | Behold, our Lord will come with power and will enlighten the eyes of his servants. |
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| 10 | Come to us, Lord, with your peace that we may rejoice in your presence with sincerity of heart. |
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| 11 | See, the king, the Lord of the world, will come. He will free us from the yoke of our bondage. |
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| 12 | The day of the Lord is near; Look he comes to save us. |
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| 13 | The Lord will come, go out to meet him. Great is his beginning and his reign will have no end. |
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| 14 | Look the Lord will come to save his people. Blessed are those who are ready to meet him. |
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Weekdays 17 – 24 December
The 'O antiphons'
The 'O antiphons' date back to at least the 8th Century. They were used at Evening Prayer as Antiphons to the Magnificat. They comprise of title of the coming Messiah, an allusion to the prophecies of Isaiah and a petition. The initial letter of each title make a Latin acrostic (when read backwards) 'Ero cras' — I will come tomorrow.
The antiphons are also the basis of the Gospel Acclamations for the week prior to Christmas. It will noted that a different translation is used as well as a different order.
| Advent Gospel Acclamations for 17 – 24 December | ||
| Gospel Acclamation | Magnificat Antiphon | |
| 17 Dec | Wisdom of the Most High, ordering all things with strength and gentleness, come and teach us the way of truth. |
O Wisdom, you come forth from the mouth of the Most High. You fill the universe and hold all things together in a strong yet gentle manner. O come teach us the way of truth.
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| 18 Dec | Ruler of the House of Israel, who gave the law to Moses on Sinai, come and save us with outstretched arm. |
O Adonai and leader of Israel, you appeared to Moses in a burning bush and you gave him the Law on Sinai. O come and save us with your mighty power.
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| 19 Dec | Root of Jesse, set up as a sign to the peoples, come to save us, and delay no more. |
O stock of Jesse, you stand as a signal for the nations; kings fall silent before you whom the peoples acclaim. O come and deliver us, and do not delay.
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| 20 Dec/ 21 Dec |
Emmanuel, our king and lawgiver, come and save us, Lord our God. |
O key of David and sceptre of Israel, what you open no one else can close again; what you close no one can open. O come and lead the captive from prison; free those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
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| 21 Dec/ 20 Dec |
Key of David, who open the gates of the eternal kingdom, come to liberate from prison the captive who lives in darkness. |
O Rising Sun, you are the splendour of eternal light and the sun of justice. O come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.
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| 22 Dec | Root of Jesse, set up as a sign to the peoples, come to save us, and delay no more. |
O King whom all the peoples desire, you are the cornerstone which makes all one. O come and save man whom you made from clay.
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| 23 Dec/ 22 Dec |
King of the peoples and cornerstone of the Church, come and save man whom you made from the dust of the earth. |
O Immanuel, you are our king and judge, the One whom the peoples await and their Saviour. O come and save us, Lord our God.
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| 24 Dec | Morning star, radiance of eternal light, sun of justice, come and enlighten those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death. |
[Evening Prayer I of The Nativity of the Lord] |