Fourth Sunday of Advent/O Rex Gentium

O King of the Gentiles, and their Desire, the Corner-stone, Who madest both one: Come and save man, whom Thou hast formed out of the dust of the earth.

So we come to the fourth and last Sunday in Advent. All is, as it were, set for the raising of the curtain on the drama of redemption. In the Introit we sing the words of Isaiah "Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open and bring forth salvation" (Isa. xlv.), for the Incarnation is the meeting of heaven and earth. The Son of God, the righteous One, is to come down from heaven; but he is also the Son of Man, the crown of the visible creation, brought forth on earth to be our Saviour. In the Collect is a final prayer that God will raise up his power and come among us. There is a note of haste to-day; we want our Lord "speedily" to help us, just as day by day we say "O God, make speed to save us; O Lord, make haste to help us." The Epistle (Philipp. iv. 4-7) reminds us again that "the Lord is at hand," that we need to be anxious ("careful," that is "full of cares") for nothing, but should trust in prayer, since, through Christ, God's peace will keep us. In the Gospel (St. John i. 19-28) we have again the Baptist's witness to our Lord, and his call to us to "make straight the way of the Lord." So John as it were retires from the scene, having pointed us to his Master: "He it is who coming after me is preferred before me." Prophets have spoken; the Forerunner has prepared the way; now we should look to him whom they proclaimed, to Christ "coming in the name of the Lord."

On this Sunday, the remembrance of Mary the Mother of our Lord is very near to us. In the Offertory sentence we repeat the Angel's words, [6/7] "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee," and in the Communion-verse, as in a last word of preparation and promise, we recall the words of Isaiah vii. 14, "Behold, a Virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel."

(Seasons Tracts No. 1, Advent. By Harold Riley)

THE COLLECT.

O LORD, raise up (we pray thee) thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through the satisfaction of thy Son our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

THE EPISTLE. Philip. 4. 4

Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing: but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

THE GOSPEL. S. John 1. 19

THIS is the record of John, when the Jews sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that Prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that Prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not: he it is who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

O Lord Jesu Christ, for Whom all peoples yearn,
even though they know not whom they seek;
Thou hast made of one blood all nations
to dwell on the face of the whole earth;
and Thou dost bind together Jew and Gentile
in the one body of Thy catholic Church:
Come, we pray Thee, and by Thy truth and grace
raise man whom Thou didst make out of the dust of the earth,
from his low condition,
and set him in Thy holy Church with the princes,
even with the princes of Thy people.

(The Advent Antiphons With Scripture references and paraphrases. By A.C.A. Hall, Bishop of Vermont.)