Advent Two (Mark 1: 1-8 and 2 Peter 3: 8-15)

Number of Readers: 6 (4 women, 2 men)

all          The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

4, 5, 6     Reading from the Epistle of II Peter

1, 2, 3     Reading from the Gospel of Mark

(Pause)

4             Do not ignore this one fact, beloved –

5              that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.

6             The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness,

4             but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish,

4, 5, 6        but all to come to repentance.

(Pause)

1                 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

1, 2, 3         "See, I am sending my messengers ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

3                 ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’"

(Pause)

5                 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief,

6                 and then the heavens will pass away with a loud voice.

4                 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way,

6                 what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness,

5                 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God?

3                 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness,

2                 proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

1                 And people from the whole Judean countryside

2, 3             (and all the people of Jerusalem)

1                 were going out to him,

3                 and were baptized by him in the river Jordan,

1, 2, 3          confessing their sins.

(Pause)

6                 In accordance with his promise

4, 5, 6         we wait for new heavens and a new earth,

5                 where righteousness is at home.

(Pause)

1                 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair,

2                 with a leather belt around his waist,

3                 and he ate locusts and wild honey.

1                 He proclaimed to the people –

1, 2, 3         "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me;

2                 I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.

3                 I have baptized you with water;

1, 2, 3         but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

4                 Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things,

4, 5, 6         strive to be found by him at peace,

6                 without a spot or blemish;

5                 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.

(Pause)

all                 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.