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<DIV>The following are the readings for the Third Sunday of Advent, December 13,
according to the Revised Common (RCL), Episcopal (ECUSA), Roman Catholic,
Canadian BAS, and the Church of England (Common Worship) lectionaries. Unless
noted otherwise, the lectionaries of ECUSA, Canada and the C of E are identical
to the RCL this Sunday. The NRSV translation is used.</DIV>
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<DIV>OLD TESTAMENT Zephaniah 3: 14 - 20 (RCL)</DIV>
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Zephaniah 3; 14 - 18a (Roman Catholic)</DIV>
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<DIV>Zeph 314 (NRSV) Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; </DIV>
<DIV>shout, O Israel! </DIV>
<DIV>Rejoice and exult with all your heart, </DIV>
<DIV>O daughter Jerusalem! </DIV>
<DIV>15 The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, </DIV>
<DIV>he has turned away your enemies. </DIV>
<DIV>The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; </DIV>
<DIV>you shall fear disaster no more. </DIV>
<DIV>16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem </DIV>
<DIV>Do not fear, O Zion; </DIV>
<DIV>do not let your hands grow weak. </DIV>
<DIV>17 The LORD, your God, is in your midst, </DIV>
<DIV>a warrior who gives victory; </DIV>
<DIV>he will rejoice over you with gladness, </DIV>
<DIV>he will renew you in his love; </DIV>
<DIV>he will exult over you with loud singing </DIV>
<DIV>18 as on a day of festival. </DIV>
<DIV>I will remove disaster from you, </DIV>
<DIV>so that you will not bear reproach for it. </DIV>
<DIV>19 I will deal with all your oppressors </DIV>
<DIV>at that time. </DIV>
<DIV>And I will save the lame </DIV>
<DIV>and gather the outcast, </DIV>
<DIV>and I will change their shame into praise </DIV>
<DIV>and renown in all the earth. </DIV>
<DIV>20 At that time I will bring you home, </DIV>
<DIV>at the time when I gather you; </DIV>
<DIV>for I will make you renowned and praised </DIV>
<DIV>among all the peoples of the earth, </DIV>
<DIV>when I restore your fortunes </DIV>
<DIV>before your eyes, says the LORD. </DIV>
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<DIV>CANTICLE Isaiah 12: 2 - 6 (RCL, Roman
Catholic)</DIV>
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<DIV>Isai 122 (NRSV) Surely God is my salvation; </DIV>
<DIV>I will trust, and will not be afraid, </DIV>
<DIV>for the LORD GOD is my strength and my might; </DIV>
<DIV>he has become my salvation. </DIV>
<DIV>3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 And you will
say in that day </DIV>
<DIV>Give thanks to the LORD, </DIV>
<DIV>call on his name; </DIV>
<DIV>make known his deeds among the nations; </DIV>
<DIV>proclaim that his name is exalted. </DIV>
<DIV>5 Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; </DIV>
<DIV>let this be known in all the earth. </DIV>
<DIV>6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion, </DIV>
<DIV>for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. </DIV>
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<DIV>NEW TESTAMENT Philippians 4: 4 - 7 (RCL, Roman
Catholic)</DIV>
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<DIV>Phil 44 (NRSV) Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let
your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about
anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. </DIV>
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<DIV>GOSPEL Luke 3: 7 - 18 (RCL)</DIV>
<DIV>
Luke 3: 10 - 18 (Roman Catholic)</DIV>
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<DIV>Luke 37 (NRSV) John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him,
"You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear
fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham
as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up
children to Abraham. 9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every
tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the
fire." </DIV>
<DIV>10 And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" 11 In reply he said
to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever
has food must do likewise." 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they
asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" 13 He said to them, "Collect no more
than the amount prescribed for you." 14 Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what
should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or
false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages." </DIV>
<DIV>15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in
their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John
answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more
powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He
will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his
hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but
the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." </DIV>
<DIV>18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the
people. </DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">Chad
Wohlers<BR>Woodbury, VT
USA<BR>chadwohl@satucket.com<BR></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>