O Lord Jesus Christ,
who at your first coming sent your messenger
to prepare your way before you:
grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries
may likewise so prepare and make ready your way
by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,
that at your second coming to judge the world
we may be found an acceptable people in your sight;
for you are alive and reign with the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Isaiah 61.1\u20134,8\u201311<\/p>\n\n\n\n
61 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, 8<\/sup> For I the Lord love justice, John 1.6\u20138,19\u201328<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6<\/sup> There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7<\/sup>He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8<\/sup>He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 19<\/sup> This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, \u2018Who are you?\u2019 20<\/sup>He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, \u2018I am not the Messiah.\u201921<\/sup>And they asked him, \u2018What then? Are you Elijah?\u2019 He said, \u2018I am not.\u2019 \u2018Are you the prophet?\u2019 He answered, \u2018No.\u2019 22<\/sup>Then they said to him, \u2018Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?\u2019 23<\/sup>He said, 24<\/sup> Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25<\/sup>They asked him, \u2018Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?\u2019 26<\/sup>John answered them, \u2018I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, 27<\/sup>the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.\u2019 28<\/sup>This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All collects and readings appointed for this day as well as the orders of Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer and Night Prayer can be found at almanac.oremus.org\/2020-12-13<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sunday 13th December – 3rd Sunday of Advent Collect O Lord Jesus Christ,who at your first coming sent your messengerto prepare your way before you:grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteriesmay likewise so prepare and make ready your wayby turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,that at your … <\/p>\n
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
2<\/sup> to proclaim the year of the Lord\u2019s favour,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
3<\/sup> to provide for those who mourn in Zion\u2014
to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
4<\/sup> They shall build up the ancient ruins,
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I hate robbery and wrongdoing;
I will faithfully give them their recompense,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
9<\/sup> Their descendants shall be known among the nations,
and their offspring among the peoples;
all who see them shall acknowledge
that they are a people whom the Lord has blessed.
10<\/sup> I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
my whole being shall exult in my God;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11<\/sup> For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGospel<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\u2018I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
\u201cMake straight the way of the Lord\u201d \u2019,
as the prophet Isaiah said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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