Saturday of the 3rd week of Advent

2Now there was a certain man from Zorah, and of the stock of Dan, whose name was Manoah, having a barren wife. 3And an Angel of the Lord appeared to her, and he said: “You are barren and without children. But you shall conceive and bear a son. 4Therefore, take care that you do not drink wine or strong drink. Neither shall you eat anything unclean. 5For you shall conceive and bear a son, whose head no razor shall touch. For he shall be a Nazirite of God, from his infancy and from his mother’s womb. And he shall begin to free Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” 6And when she had gone to her husband, she said to him: “A man of God came to me, having the countenance of an Angel, exceedingly terrible. And when I had inquired of him, who he was, and where he was from, and what name he was called, he was not willing to tell me. 7But he responded: ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. Take care that you do not drink wine or strong drink. And you shall not consume anything unclean. For the boy shall be a Nazirite of God from his infancy, from his mother’s womb, even until the day of his death.’ ”

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24And so she bore a son, and she called his name Samson. And the boy grew up, and the Lord blessed him. 25And the Spirit of the Lord began to be with him in the camp of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

3Be a God of protection and a place of strength for me, so that you may accomplish my salvation. For you are my firmament and my refuge.

4Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the sinner, and from the hand of the unjust and those who act against the law.

5For you, O Lord, are my patience: my hope from my youth, O Lord.

6In you, I have been confirmed from conception. From my mother’s womb, you are my protector. In you, I will sing forever.

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16I will enter into the powers of the Lord. I will be mindful of your justice alone, O Lord.

17You have taught me from my youth, O God. And so I will declare your wonders continuously,

5There was, in the days of Herod, king of Judea, a certain priest named Zechariah, of the section of Abijah, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6Now they were both just before God, progressing in all of the commandments and the justifications of the Lord without blame. 7And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both had become advanced in years. 8Then it happened that, when he was exercising the priesthood before God, in the order of his section, 9according to the custom of the priesthood, the lot fell so that he would offer incense, entering into the temple of the Lord. 10And the entire multitude of the people was praying outside, at the hour of incense. 11Then there appeared to him an Angel of the Lord, standing at the right of the altar of incense. 12And upon seeing him, Zechariah was disturbed, and fear fell over him. 13But the Angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son to you. And you shall call his name John. 14And there will be joy and exultation for you, and many will rejoice in his nativity. 15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16And he will convert many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. 17And he will go before him with the spirit and power of Elijah, so that he may turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons, and the incredulous to the prudence of the just, so as to prepare for the Lord a completed people.” 18And Zechariah said to the Angel: “How may I know this? For I am elderly, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19And in response, the Angel said to him: “I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I have been sent to speak to you, and to proclaim these things to you. 20And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak, until the day on which these things shall be, because you have not believed my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21And the people were waiting for Zechariah. And they wondered why he was being delayed in the temple. 22Then, when he came out, he was unable to speak to them. And they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he was making signs to them, but he remained mute. 23And it happened that, after the days of his office were completed, he went away to his house. 24Then, after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she hid herself for five months, saying: 25“For the Lord did this for me, at the time when he decided to take away my reproach among men.”