3rd Sunday of Advent

1The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me: he hath sent me to preach to the meek, to heal the contrite of heart, and to preach a release to the captives, and deliverance to them that are shut up. 2To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God: to comfort all that mourn:

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10I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soul shall be joyful in my God: for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation: and with the robe of justice he hath covered me, as a bridegroom decked with a crown, and as a bride adorned with her jewels. 11For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth her seed to shoot forth: so shall the Lord God make justice to spring forth, and praise before all the nations.

46And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.

47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

48Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

49Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.

50And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.

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53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

54He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy:

16Always rejoice. 17Pray without ceasing. 18In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all. 19Extinguish not the spirit. 20Despise not prophecies. 21But prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22From all appearance of evil refrain yourselves. 23And may the God of peace himself sanctify you in all things; that your whole spirit, and soul, and body, may be preserved blameless in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24He is faithful who hath called you, who also will do it.

6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. 8He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light.

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19And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to him, to ask him: Who art thou? 20And he confessed, and did not deny: and he confessed: I am not the Christ. 21And they asked him: What then? Art thou Elias? And he said: I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered: No. 22They said therefore unto him: Who art thou, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself? 23He said: I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaias. 24And they that were sent, were of the Pharisees. 25And they asked him, and said to him: Why then dost thou baptize, if thou be not Christ, nor Elias, nor the prophet? 26John answered them, saying: I baptize with water; but there hath stood one in the midst of you, whom you know not. 27The same is he that shall come after me, who is preferred before me: the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to loose. 28These things were done in Bethania, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.