GOSPEL COMMUNION: 2nd Sunday of Advent

December 5 2021 : 2nd Sunday of Advent

Today’s readings present to us the wonders that the Lord will do when he comes.

In the 1st Reading, we hear:

God has commanded
that every lofty mountain be made low,
and that the age-old depths and gorges
be filled to level ground (Baruch 5:7)

while in the Gospel reading John the Baptizer proclaims:

“Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” (Luke 3:5-6)

quoting Isaiah:

Every valley shall be lifted up,
every mountain and hill made low;
The rugged land shall be a plain,
the rough country, a broad valley.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together (Isaiah 40:4-5)

The Collegeville Composers accordingly took lines 1-2 and 5 of the Luke extract to create an ostinato antiphon with superimposed verses from Isaiah 40:1-11. We sing that our flesh will see the salvation of our God, as we partake in the flesh and blood of Jesus in Communion.

A demo recording extract will be found here: