Sunday 13 December 2037

1The wilderness and the dry land will be glad.The desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose.2It will blossom abundantly,and rejoice even with joy and singing.Lebanon’s glory will be given to it,the excellence of Carmel and Sharon.They will see the Lord’s glory,the excellence of our God.3Strengthen the weak hands,and make the feeble knees firm.4Tell those who have a fearful heart, “Be strong!Don’t be afraid!Behold, your God will come with vengeance, God’s retribution.He will come and save you.5Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.6Then the lame man will leap like a deer,and the tongue of the mute will sing;for waters will break out in the wilderness,and streams in the desert.· · · verses 7–9 are not read10Then the Lord’s ransomed ones will return,and come with singing to Zion;and everlasting joy will be on their heads.They will obtain gladness and joy,and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

6who made heaven and earth,the sea, and all that is in them;who keeps truth forever;7who executes justice for the oppressed;who gives food to the hungry.The Lord frees the prisoners.

8The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.The Lord raises up those who are bowed down.The Lord loves the righteous.9The Lord preserves the foreigners.

9He upholds the fatherless and widow,but he turns the way of the wicked upside down.10The Lord will reign forever;your God, O Zion, to all generations.Praise the Lord!

7Be patient therefore,brothers, until the coming of the Lord.Behold, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth,being patient over it,until it receives the early and late rain.8You also be patient.Establish your hearts,for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

9Don’t grumble, brothers,against one another,so that you won’t be judged.Behold, the judge stands at the door.10Take, brothers, for an example of sufferingand of perseverance,the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

2Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ,he sent two of his disciples3and said to him, “Are you he who comes,or should we look for another?”

4Jesus answered them,“Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:5the blind receive their sight,the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed,the deaf hear, the dead are raised up,and the poor have good news preached to them.6Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”

7As these went their way,Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John,“What did you go out into the wilderness to see?A reed shaken by the wind?8But what did you go out to see?A man in soft clothing?Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.9But why did you go out?To see a prophet?Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.10For this is he, of whom it is written,‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,who will prepare your way before you.’11Most certainly I tell you,among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer;yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.