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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>The following are the readings for the Second
Sunday in Advent, Dec. 4, 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 otherwise noted, the ECUSA, Canadian and
Common Worship readings are identical to the RCL this Sunday.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 40: 1 - 11
(RCL)<BR>
Isaiah 40: 1 - 5, 9 - 11 (Roman Catholic)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Isai 40:1 (NRSV) Comfort, O comfort my people,
<BR>says your God. <BR>2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, <BR>and cry to her
<BR>that she has served her term, <BR>that her penalty is paid, <BR>that she has
received from the LORD's hand <BR>double for all her sins. <BR>3 A voice cries
out: <BR>"In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, <BR>make straight in
the desert a highway for our God. <BR>4 Every valley shall be lifted up, <BR>and
every mountain and hill be made low; <BR>the uneven ground shall become level,
<BR>and the rough places a plain. <BR>5 Then the glory of the LORD shall be
revealed, <BR>and all people shall see it together, <BR>for the mouth of the
LORD has spoken." <BR>6 A voice says, "Cry out!" <BR>And I said, "What shall I
cry?" <BR>All people are grass, <BR>their constancy is like the flower of the
field. <BR>7 The grass withers, the flower fades, <BR>when the breath of the
LORD blows upon it; <BR>surely the people are grass. <BR>8 The grass withers,
the flower fades; <BR>but the word of our God will stand forever. <BR>9 Get you
up to a high mountain, <BR>O Zion, herald of good tidings; <BR>lift up your
voice with strength, <BR>O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, <BR>lift it up, do
not fear; <BR>say to the cities of Judah, <BR>"Here is your God!" <BR>10 See,
the Lord GOD comes with might, <BR>and his arm rules for him; <BR>his reward is
with him, <BR>and his recompense before him. <BR>11 He will feed his flock like
a shepherd; <BR>he will gather the lambs in his arms, <BR>and carry them in his
bosom, <BR>and gently lead the mother sheep. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>
<DIV><BR>PSALM 85: 1 - 2, 8 - 13 (RCL)<BR>Psalm 85: 8 - 13
(Roman Catholic)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 85:1 (NRSV) LORD, you were favorable to your land; <BR>you restored
the fortunes of Jacob. <BR>2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; <BR>you
pardoned all their sin. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, <BR>for he will speak peace to
his people, <BR>to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. <BR>9
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, <BR>that his glory may
dwell in our land. <BR>10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
<BR>righteousness and peace will kiss each other. <BR>11 Faithfulness will
spring up from the ground, <BR>and righteousness will look down from the sky.
<BR>12 The LORD will give what is good, <BR>and our land will yield its
increase. <BR>13 Righteousness will go before him, <BR>and will make a path for
his steps. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Note: verse numbering is one higher in Roman Catholic bibles</DIV>
<DIV><BR> </DIV>
<DIV>NEW TESTAMENT: 2 Peter 3: 8 - 15a
(RCL)<BR>
2 Peter 3: 8 - 14 (Roman Catholic)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2Pet 3:8 (NRSV) But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the
Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9
The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is
patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass
away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the
earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. <BR>11 Since all
these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to
be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the
coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and
dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? 13 But, in accordance with his
promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at
home. <BR>14 Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive
to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15 and regard the patience
of our Lord as salvation. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>GOSPEL: Mark 1: 1 - 8 (all)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Mark 1:1 (NRSV) The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of
God. <BR>2 As it is written in the prophet Isai'ah, <BR>"See, I am sending
my messenger ahead of you, <BR>who will prepare your way; <BR>3 the voice of one
crying out in the wilderness: <BR>"Prepare the way of the Lord, <BR>make his
paths straight,'" <BR>4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people
from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out
to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6
Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist,
and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, "The one who is more
powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the
thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit." <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>