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Today
is: December 14th Third Sunday of Advent
First Reading: Isaiah 61.1-4, 8-11 .
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
The servant of the Lord said: 1 The spirit of the
Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed
me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty
to the captives, and release to the prisoners; 2
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour, and the
day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who
mourn; 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion
- to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil
of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise
instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks
of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display
his glory. 4 They shall build up the ancient ruins,
they shall raise up the former devastations; they
shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations
of many generations. 8 For I the Lord love justice,
I hate robbery and wrongdoing; I will faithfully
give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting
covenant with them. 9 Their descendants shall be
known among the nations, and their offspring among
the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge
that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole
being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed
me with the garments of salvation, he has covered
me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom
decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns
herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth brings
forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is
sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause
righteousness and praise to spring up before all
the nations.
Psalm: Magnificat
My
soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit
rejoices in / God my / Saviour:
he
has looked with / favour on his / lowly / servant.
From
this day all generations will / call me / blessed:
the
Almighty has done great things for me and / holy
/ is his / name.
He
has mercy on / those who / fear him:
from
gene/ration to / gene/ration.
He
has shown strength / with his / arm:
and
has scattered the / proud in / their con/ceit,
Casting
down the mighty / from their / thrones:
and
/ lifting / up the / lowly.
He
has filled the hungry with / good / things:
and
sent the / rich a/way / empty.
He
has come to the aid of his / servant / Israel:
to
re/member his / promise of / mercy,
The
promise / made to our / ancestors:
to
Abraham / and his / children for / ever.
Glory
to the Father and / to the / Son and / to the /
Holy / Spirit;
as
it was in the be/ginning is / now and shall be for
/ ever. / A/men.
Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5.16-24
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the
Thessalonians. 16 Be joyful always,
17 pray at all times, 18 be thankful
in all circumstances. This is what God wants from
you in your life in union with Christ Jesus. 19
Do not restrain the Holy Spirit; 20 do not
despise inspired messages. 21 Put all things
to the test: keep what is good 22 and avoid
every kind of evil. 23 May the God who gives
us peace make you holy in every way and keep your
whole being - spirit, soul, and body - free from
every fault at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 He who calls you will do it, because
he is faithful.
Gospel: John 1.6-8, 19-28
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according
to John. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose
name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify
to the light, so that all might believe through
him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came
to testify to the light. 19 This is the testimony
given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites
from Jerusalem to ask him, 'Who are you?' 20 He
confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, 'I
am not the Messiah.' 21 And they asked him, 'What
then? Are you Elijah?' He said, 'I am not.' 'Are
you the prophet?' He answered, 'No.' 22 Then they
said to him, 'Who are you? Let us have an answer
for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?'
23 He said, 'I am the voice of one crying out in
the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord,"'
as the prophet Isaiah said. 24 Now they had been
sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, 'Why
then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah,
nor Elijah, nor the prophet?' 26 John answered them,
'I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom
you do not know, 27 the one who is coming after
me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.'
28 This took place in Bethany across the Jordan
where John was baptizing.
Post Communion Prayer: God of mercy and power,
whose Son rules over all, grant us so to live in
obedience to your holy will, that at his appearing
we may be raised to eternal life; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen
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