Monday in Advent — Open Word

FIRST READING

Micah 4:1-5

Verse 1. In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and the peoples will stream to it. Verse 2. And many nations will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Verse 3. Then He will judge between many peoples and arbitrate for strong nations far and wide. Then they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor will they train anymore for war. Verse 4. And each man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, with no one to frighten him. For the mouth of the LORD of Hosts has spoken. Verse 5. Though all the nations may walk in the name of their gods, yet we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.

PSALM

Psalm 79

A Psalm of Asaph. The nations, O God, have invaded Your inheritance; they have defiled Your holy temple and reduced Jerusalem to rubble.

They have given the corpses of Your servants as food to the birds of the air, the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.

They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the dead.

We have become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those around us.

How long, O LORD? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire?

Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge You, on the kingdoms that refuse to call on Your name,

for they have devoured Jacob and devastated his homeland.

Do not hold past sins against us; let Your compassion come quickly, for we are brought low.

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; deliver us and atone for our sins, for the sake of Your name.

Why should the nations ask, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, make known among the nations Your vengeance for the bloodshed of Your servants.

May the groans of the captives reach You; by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.

Pay back into the laps of our neighbors sevenfold the reproach they hurled at You, O Lord.

Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will thank You forever; from generation to generation we will declare Your praise.

SECOND READING

Revelation 15:1-8

Verse 1. Then I saw another great and marvelous sign in heaven: seven angels with the seven final plagues, with which the wrath of God is completed. Verse 2. And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, beside which stood those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name. They were holding harps from God, Verse 3. and they sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: “Great and wonderful are Your works, O Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations! Verse 4. Who will not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.” Verse 5. After this I looked, and the temple — the tabernacle of the Testimony — was opened in heaven. Verse 6. And out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in clean and bright linen and girded with golden sashes around their chests. Verse 7. Then one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. Verse 8. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.