THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT C Lectionary #9

What does it mean to have a “savior”? What does it mean to be a “savior”? A savior, negatively, is someone who does not do evil things. A savior is someone, positively, who removes evil and replaces it with good.

Zephaniah 3:14-18a. The Jerusalem Temple , in its heyday, was intended to be a sign of a much deeper reality: “The Lord , your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior.” The chosen people are those who are aware of God's presence.

Psalm of the Day: Isaiah 12:2-6 . This poetic canticle from Isaiah is an example of psalm-type compositions in the Bible found in sources other than the Book of Psalms. Here the psalm singer expresses thanksgiving for God's saving presence.

Cry Out with Joy and Gladness (Chepponis) SMM5 10

Cry Out with Joy and Gladness (Gelineau/Batastinin) WOR 774/RS 205

Cry Out with Joy and Gladness (Haugen/Kodner) GC 148

Cry Out with Joy and Gladness (Reagan) PC3 24/PRM C3

Sing and Shout for Joy (Young) CBW 25

Philippians 4:4-7. Expecting the imminent coming of the Day of the Lord, Paul tells the community at Philippi that their attitude should be one of expectation and rejoicing, not fear at the Lord's coming.

Luke 3:10-18. When people ask John what they should do to prepare for the Day of the Lord, his advice is a mix of negatives (“don't . . .”) and positives (“share . . .”). His expectations of the “one mightier than” himself are similarly a mix of negative (“clear the threshing floor”) and positive (“baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire”) images.

Songs for the Liturgy

A Voice Cries Out (G) RS 485/GP 294/JS 313/BB

Advent Antiphon (G) CBW 301

Advent Gathering GC 324/RS 492

Alleluia! Hurry, the Lord Is Near (G) JS 324/BB

Arise, Your Light Is Come (1) CBW 302

Awake, Awake, and Greet the New Morn (1,2) WOR 360/RS 494/CBW 303

*Await the Lord with Hope, v 4 (1) BB

Behold Your God (1) LMGM 21

Christ, Be Our Light (G) JS 661/MI-BB/GP 656

Christ Is Coming: Prepare the Way (G) LMGM 10

Clear the Voice (G) JS 317

Come, Light of the World (1) WC 442/WS 336

Comfort, Comfort, O My People (1,Ps,G) WOR 370/JS 327/BB/RS 488/GC 326/WC 458

Comfort My People (1,Ps,G) BB

Every Valley (1) GP 297/CBW 308/BB/JS 326

Hail to the Lord's Anointed (1,G) WC 494/PMB 225

Hills of the North, Rejoice (1) WOR 365

I Will Rejoice (2) LMGM 311/GP 674

In the Lord I'll Be Ever Thankful (2) GC 566/RS 703/WS 587/WC 827

Let the King of Glory Come (Ps,G) GP 299/JS 320/BB

Lift Up Your Heads (Ps) WOR 363/JS 330/BB/WC 934/PMB 515

O Come, Divine Messiah (1,2) WOR 367/CBW 310/JS 316/BB/RS 479/GC 333/WC 446/PMB 195/WS 340

On Jordan 's Bank (G) WOR 356/CBW 351/LMGM 8/JS 315/GC 321, 322/BB/WC 452/RS 490/GP 296/PMB 190/WS 349

People, Look East (1,G) WOR 359/JS 329/BB/WC 461/RS 482/GC 318/GP 300/PMB 188/WS 343

Prepare the Way of the Lord (G) WOR 369/LMGM 2/RS 491/GC 336/CBW 317

Proclaim the Joyful Message (1,2) WC 459/PMB 197/WS 351

Rejoice, the Lord Is King (1,2) WOR 493/MI-BB/LMGM 93/JS 478/WC 726/RS 627/GC 487/PMB 355

River of Glory (1,Ps) JS 548/MI-BB/GP 454

*Sion, Sing (1,Ps) RS 532

*Surely It Is God Who Saves Me (Ps) WOR 584/CBW 500

The Day Is Near (G) GC 768

*The Voice of God Goes Out (1,G) WOR 358/CBW 433

Wait for the Lord (2) RS 484/GC 332/CBW 319

When He Comes (1) WC 447/PMB 196/WS 342

When the King Shall Come Again (1) WOR 355/RS 487/GC 327/JS 318