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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>The following are the readings for the Fourth
Sunday of Advent, Dec. 19, according to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal
(ECUSA), Roman Catholic, Canadian BAS, and the Church of England (Common
Worship) lectionaries. All readings are taken from the New Revised Standard
Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Unless noted otherwise, the ECUSA, Canadian and C
of E lectionaries are identical to the RCL for this day.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 7: 10 - 16 (RCL)
<BR>
Isaiah 7: 10 - 14 (Roman Catholic) </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Isai 7:10 (NRSV) Again the LORD spoke to A'haz,
saying, 11 Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as She'ol or high as
heaven. 12 But A'haz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the
test. 13 Then Isai'ah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for
you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself
will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son,
and shall name him Imman'uel. 15 He shall eat curds and honey by the time he
knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. 16 For before the child knows
how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you
are in dread will be deserted. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV><BR>PSALM 80: 1 - 7, 17 - 19 (RCL) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 80:1 (NRSV) Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, <BR>you who lead Joseph
like a flock! <BR>You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth <BR>2
before E'phraim and Benjamin and Manas'seh. <BR>Stir up your might, <BR>and come
to save us! <BR>3 Restore us, O God; <BR>let your face shine, that we may be
saved. <BR>4 O LORD God of hosts, <BR>how long will you be angry with your
people's prayers? <BR>5 You have fed them with the bread of tears, <BR>and given
them tears to drink in full measure. <BR>6 You make us the scorn of our
neighbors; <BR>our enemies laugh among themselves. <BR>7 Restore us, O God of
hosts; <BR>let your face shine, that we may be saved. <BR>17 But let your hand
be upon the one at your right hand, <BR>the one whom you made strong for
yourself. <BR>18 Then we will never turn back from you; <BR>give us life, and we
will call on your name. <BR>19 Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; <BR>let your
face shine, that we may be saved. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Note: Verse numbering in your Psalter may differ from the above.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR> </DIV>
<DIV>Psalm 24 (Can. BAS)<BR>Psalm 24: 1 - 6 (Roman Catholic)
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 24:1 (NRSV) The earth is the LORD's and all that is in it, <BR>the
world, and those who live in it; <BR>2 for he has founded it on the seas,
<BR>and established it on the rivers. <BR>3 Who shall ascend the hill of the
LORD? <BR>And who shall stand in his holy place? <BR>4 Those who have clean
hands and pure hearts, <BR>who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
<BR>and do not swear deceitfully. <BR>5 They will receive blessing from the
LORD, <BR>and vindication from the God of their salvation. <BR>6 Such is the
company of those who seek him, <BR>who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
[Se'lah] <BR>7 Lift up your heads, O gates! <BR>and be lifted up, O ancient
doors! <BR>that the King of glory may come in. <BR>8 Who is the King of glory?
<BR>The LORD, strong and mighty, <BR>the LORD, mighty in battle. <BR>9 Lift up
your heads, O gates! <BR>and be lifted up, O ancient doors! <BR>that the King of
glory may come in. <BR>10 Who is this King of glory? <BR>The LORD of hosts,
<BR>he is the King of glory. [Se'lah] </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>NEW TESTAMENT: Romans 1: 1 - 7 (all) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Roma 1:1 (NRSV) Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle,
set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his
prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 the gospel concerning his Son, who was
descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be Son of God
with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead,
Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to
bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his
name, 6 including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, <BR>7 To
all God's beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: <BR>Grace to you and
peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>GOSPEL: Matthew 1: 18 - 25 (RCL)
<BR>
Matthew 1: 18 - 24 (Roman Catholic) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Matt 1:18 (NRSV) Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.
When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together,
she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph,
being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to
dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of
the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be
afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the
Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will
save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfill what had
been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: <BR>23 "Look, the virgin shall
conceive and bear a son, <BR>and they shall name him Emman'uel," <BR>which
means, "God is with us." 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of
the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations
with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus. <BR></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Chad Wohlers<BR>Woodbury, Vermont USA<BR><A
href="mailto:chadwohl@satucket.com">chadwohl@satucket.com</A><BR><A
href="mailto:cwohlers@bridgew.edu">cwohlers@bridgew.edu</A><BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>