2nd Sunday of Advent

1Put off, O Jerusalem, the garment of thy mourning, and affliction: and put on the beauty, and honour of that everlasting glory which thou hast from God. 2God will clothe thee with the double garment of justice, and will set a crown on thy head of everlasting honour. 3For God will shew his brightness in thee, to every one under heaven. 4For thy name shall be named to thee by God for ever: the peace of justice, and honour of piety. 5Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand on high: and look about towards the east, and behold thy children gathered together from the rising to the setting sun, by the word of the Holy One rejoicing in the remembrance of God. 6For they went out from thee on foot, led by the enemies: but the Lord will bring them to thee exalted with honour as children of the kingdom. 7For God hath appointed to bring down every high mountain, and the everlasting rocks, and to fill up the valleys to make them even with the ground: that Israel may walk diligently to the honour of God. 8Moreover the woods, and every sweet-smelling tree have overshadowed Israel by the commandment of God. 9For God will bring Israel with joy in the light of his majesty, with mercy, and justice, that cometh from him.

4Always in all my prayers making supplication for you all, with joy; 5For your communication in the gospel of Christ from the first day until now. 6Being confident of this very thing, that he, who hath begun a good work in you, will perfect it unto the day of Christ Jesus.

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8For God is my witness, how I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. 9And this I pray, that your charity may more and more abound in knowledge, and in all understanding: 10That you may approve the better things, that you may be sincere and without offence unto the day of Christ, 11Filled with the fruit of justice, through Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

1Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Iturea, and the country of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilina; 2Under the high priests Annas and Caiphas; the word of the Lord was made unto John, the son of Zachary, in the desert. 3And he came into all the country about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of penance for the remission of sins; 4As it was written in the book of the sayings of Isaias the prophet: A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. 5Every valley shall be filled; and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight; and the rough ways plain; 6And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.