Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor

1“Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God. 2“Speak comfortably to Jerusalem, and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.”

3The voice of one who calls out,

“Prepare the way of the LORD in the wilderness!

Make a level highway in the desert for our God.

4Every valley shall be exalted,

and every mountain and hill shall be made low.

The uneven shall be made level,

and the rough places a plain.

5The LORD’s glory shall be revealed,

and all flesh shall see it together;

for the mouth of the LORD has spoken it.”

6The voice of one saying, “Cry out!”

One said, “What shall I cry?”

“All flesh is like grass,

and all its glory is like the flower of the field.

7The grass withers,

the flower fades,

because the LORD’s breath blows on it.

Surely the people are like grass.

8The grass withers,

the flower fades;

but the word of our God stands forever.”

9You who tell good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain.

You who tell good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength!

Lift it up! Don’t be afraid!

Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold, your God!”

10Behold, the Lord GOD will come as a mighty one,

and his arm will rule for him.

Behold, his reward is with him,

and his recompense before him.

11He will feed his flock like a shepherd.

He will gather the lambs in his arm,

and carry them in his bosom.

He will gently lead those who have their young.

1Sing to the LORD a new song!

Sing to the LORD, all the earth.

2Sing to the LORD!

Bless his name!

Proclaim his salvation from day to day!

3Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvelous works among all the peoples.

…

10Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”

The world is also established.

It can’t be moved.

He will judge the peoples with equity.

11Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice.

Let the sea roar, and its fullness!

12Let the field and all that is in it exult!

Then all the trees of the woods shall sing for joy

13before the LORD; for he comes,

for he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,

the peoples with his truth.

12“What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray? 13If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.