4th Sunday of Advent

2And you, Bethlehem Ephrata, are a little one among the thousands of Judah. From you will go forth he who shall be the ruler in Israel, and his landing place has been set from the beginning, from the days of eternity. 3Because of this, he will provide for them, even until the time in which she who bears him gives birth. And the remnant of his brothers will be converted to the sons of Israel. 4And he will stand firm and feed on the strength of the Lord, according to the sublime name of the Lord his God. And they will be converted, for now he will be magnified, even to the ends of the earth. 5And this man will be our peace, when the Assyrian will come into our land, and when he will trample on our houses; and we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight principal men.

2The One who reigns over Israel: Be attentive. For you lead Joseph like a sheep. The One who sits upon the cherubim: Shine forth

3in the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh. Awaken your power and draw near, so as to accomplish our salvation.

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15Turn back, O God of hosts. Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vineyard;

16and complete what your right hand has planted, and look upon the son of man, whom you have confirmed for yourself.

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18Let your hand be over the man on your right, and over the son of man, whom you have confirmed for yourself.

19For we do not depart from you, and you will revive us. And we will invoke your name.

5For this reason, as Christ enters into the world, he says: “Sacrifice and oblation, you did not want. But you have fashioned a body for me. 6Holocausts for sin were not pleasing to you. 7Then I said, ‘Behold, I draw near.’ At the head of the book, it has been written of me that I should do your will, O God.” 8In the above, by saying, “Sacrifices, and oblations, and holocausts for sin, you did not want, nor are those things pleasing to you, which are offered according to the law; 9then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,’ ” he takes away the first, so that he may establish what follows. 10For by this will, we have been sanctified, through the one time oblation of the body of Jesus Christ.

39And in those days, Mary, rising up, traveled quickly into the hill country, to a city of Judah. 40And she entered into the house of Zechariah, and she greeted Elizabeth. 41And it happened that, as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42And she cried out with a loud voice and said: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And how does this concern me, so that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44For behold, as the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed are you who believed, for the things that were spoken to you by the Lord shall be accomplished.”