Advent Calendar 2024: readings and prayers towards the Jubilee 2025

Close to Advent 2024, we share some important details about the celebrations that take place in this time of preparation for Christmas, as well as the readings and prayers for the 4 Sundays towards the Jubilee 2025.

1. First Sunday of Advent

• With the first Sunday of Advent the new liturgical year 2025 begins, which on this occasion will be cycle C and odd year.

• This 2024, the first Sunday is December 1st. In the liturgy, the celebration begins with the prayers of First Vespers, at dusk (approximately 6 pm) on Saturday, November 30.

• The color of the priest’s ornaments is purple and the first purple candle of the Advent wreath is lit.

• The Gospel talks about the coming of the Lord at the end of time and is taken from Luke 21, 25-28. 34-36:

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: “There will be wonderful signs in the sun, the moon and the stars. On earth, the nations will be filled with anguish and fear because of the roar of the waves of the sea; People will die of terror and anguished wait for the things that will come to the world, because even the stars will sway. Then you will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud, with great power and majesty.
When these things begin to happen, pay attention and lift your heads, because the hour of your deliverance is approaching. Be alert, so that vices, with debauchery, drunkenness and the worries of this life do not dull your mind and that day surprises you; for it will suddenly fall like a trap on all the inhabitants of the earth.
Watch therefore and pray continually, that you may escape from all that is to come and appear safely before the Son of Man.

• In the ecclesiastical subsidy “teach us to pray”, to live the Year of Prayer 2024, 4 prayers are presented in preparation for the Jubilee 2025, and one can be prayed for each Sunday of Advent. The first is the prayer of intercession:

“O Father, in your mercy, hear the supplications of your children. On the path that leads us to the Jubilee of 2025, renew our faith and increase hope and charity in us, helping us to be witnesses of your love in the world.”. Amen.

• On Tuesday, December 3, Saint Francis Xavier, patron of the missions, is commemorated, and on Saturday, December 7, Saint Ambrose, Doctor of the Church. Both days the color of the ornaments is white.

• On Friday the 6th we remember Saint Nicholas of Baripatron saint of children and the real Santa Claus.

2. Second Sunday of Advent

• The second Sunday of Advent is December 8, the color of the priest’s vestments remains purple and the second purple candle in the Advent wreath is lit.

• The Gospel is about Saint John the Baptist, who begins to call for conversion, and is taken from Luke 3, 1-6:

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Caesar Tiberius, Pontius Pilate being procurator of Judea; Herod, tetrarch of Galilee; his brother Philip, tetrarch of the regions of Iturea and Trachonítis; and Lysanias, tetrarch of Abilene; Under the pontificate of the high priests Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came in the desert to John, son of Zechariah.
Then he began to travel throughout the Jordan region, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of predictions of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice has resounded in the desert:
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make your paths straight.
Every valley will be filled,
every mountain and hill, made low;
the crooked will become straight,
the rough roads will be smoothed
and all men will see the salvation of God.

• The prayer for this Sunday, in preparation for Jubilee 2025, is titled prayer of praise:

“We praise you, Lord, for your infinite goodness. In the Jubilee that awaits us, open our eyes to the beauty of your creation, so that our hearts can rejoice in admiration for the greatness of your works. Amen.

• The solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, which traditionally takes place every December 8, moves to Monday the 9th. The priest’s vestments are white, a symbol of joy, and the Gloria can be sung.

• Thursday the 12th is the feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe, empress of America. The color of the ornaments is also white and the Gloria is toned.

• On Friday the 13th, the martyr Saint Lucia, patron saint of sight, is commemorated. The color of the ornaments is red, a symbol of sacrifice.

• On Saturday the 14th, the great Saint John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church, is commemorated. The color of the ornaments is white.

3. Third Sunday of Advent

• The third Sunday of Advent is December 15 and is called Gaudete Sunday, a Latin word that means “rejoice.” Priests can wear the pink chasuble, a symbol of joy because Christmas is approaching.

• The pink candle in the advent wreath is lit.

• In the Gospel, Saint John the Baptist gives guidelines on how to change one’s life and announces the presence of the Lord. The biblical passage is taken from Luke 3, 10-18:

At that time, people asked John the Baptist: “What should we do?” He answered: “Whoever has two tunics, let him give one to him who has none, and whoever has food, let him do the same.”
Publicans also came to him to be baptized, and asked him: “Teacher, what should we do?” He told them: “Don’t charge more than what is established.” Some soldiers asked him: “And we, what do we have to do?” He told them, “Do not extort money from anyone, nor denounce anyone falsely, but be content with your wages.”
As the people were in expectation and everyone thought that perhaps John was the Messiah, John cleared their doubts, telling them: “It is true that I baptize with water, but another more powerful than me is coming, whose straps I do not deserve to untie.” his sandals. He will baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He has the fork in his hand to separate the wheat from the chaff; He will keep the wheat in his barn and burn the chaff with an unquenchable fire.”
With these and many other exhortations he announced the good news to the people.

• The third prayer proposed as preparation for the jubilee, and which can be prayed this Sunday, is titled prayer of thanksgiving:

“We thank you, oh God, for all the goods and gifts received. In this time of preparation for the Jubilee, teach us to recognize your hand at every moment of our lives, welcoming each day as a gift of your love and your mercy.” Amen.

• On Monday the 16th, the so-called first part of Advent ends. On Tuesday the 17th the second part begins with practically the last week of preparation for Christmas. In the Gospel, taken from Matthew or Luke, the events prior to the birth of the Lord are read.

4. Fourth Sunday of Advent

• The fourth Sunday is December 22. The color of the ornaments is purple and the last candle of the Advent wreath is lit.

• In the Gospel according to Saint Luke 1, 39-45, the visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth with the Divine Child in her womb is narrated.

In those days, Mary hurried to a town in the mountains of Judea and, entering the house of Zechariah, greeted Elizabeth. As soon as she heard Mary’s greeting, the creature jumped into her womb.
Then Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and, raising her voice, she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! Who am I, that the mother of my Lord should come to see me? As soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child jumped for joy in my womb. Blessed are you who have believed, because what was announced to you from the Lord will be fulfilled.

• The last prayer proposed in preparation for Jubilee 2025, and which can be prayed this Sunday, is called a prayer of petition.

“Lord, source of all wisdom, guide us during this Year dedicated to Prayer on the path that will lead us to celebrate the next Jubilee. Give us open hearts and enlightened minds to fully understand and live the gifts of mercy and forgiveness.” Amen.

• Finally, at sunset on Tuesday, December 24, Advent will conclude and also the Year of Prayer. The Christmas season will begin with the prayers of First Vespers and in the evening the Jubilee Year 2025 will officially open in the Vatican.