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<DIV>The following are the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, December
20, 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>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>OLD TESTAMENT: Micah 5: 2 - 5a (RCL)</DIV>
<DIV>
Micah 5: 2 - 4a (Roman Catholic)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Mica 5:2 (NRSV) {Ch 5.1 in Heb} But you, O Bethlehem of Eph'rathah, </DIV>
<DIV>who are one of the little clans of Judah, </DIV>
<DIV>from you shall come forth for me </DIV>
<DIV>one who is to rule in Israel, </DIV>
<DIV>whose origin is from of old, </DIV>
<DIV>from ancient days. </DIV>
<DIV>3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time </DIV>
<DIV>when she who is in labor has brought forth; </DIV>
<DIV>then the rest of his kindred shall return </DIV>
<DIV>to the people of Israel. </DIV>
<DIV>4 And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD, </DIV>
<DIV>in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. </DIV>
<DIV>And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great </DIV>
<DIV>to the ends of the earth; </DIV>
<DIV>5 and he shall be the one of peace. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>PSALM: Luke 1: 46b - 55 (RCL) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Luke 1:46 (NRSV) "My soul magnifies the Lord,</DIV>
<DIV>47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, </DIV>
<DIV>48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. </DIV>
<DIV>Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; </DIV>
<DIV>49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, </DIV>
<DIV>and holy is his name. </DIV>
<DIV>50 His mercy is for those who fear him </DIV>
<DIV>from generation to generation. </DIV>
<DIV>51 He has shown strength with his arm; </DIV>
<DIV>he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. </DIV>
<DIV>52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, </DIV>
<DIV>and lifted up the lowly; </DIV>
<DIV>53 he has filled the hungry with good things, </DIV>
<DIV>and sent the rich away empty. </DIV>
<DIV>54 He has helped his servant Israel, </DIV>
<DIV>in remembrance of his mercy, </DIV>
<DIV>55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors, </DIV>
<DIV>to Abraham and to his descendants forever." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Canticle 15 The Song of Mary
Magnificat (ECUSA BCP)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> Luke 1:46‑55</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,</DIV>
<DIV>my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *</DIV>
<DIV> for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>From this day all generations will call me blessed: *</DIV>
<DIV> the Almighty has done great things for me,</DIV>
<DIV> and holy is his Name. </DIV>
<DIV>He has mercy on those who fear him *</DIV>
<DIV> in every generation. </DIV>
<DIV>He has shown the strength of his arm, *</DIV>
<DIV> he has scattered the proud in their conceit. </DIV>
<DIV>He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *</DIV>
<DIV> and has lifted up the lowly. </DIV>
<DIV>He has filled the hungry with good things, *</DIV>
<DIV> and the rich he has sent away empty. </DIV>
<DIV>He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *</DIV>
<DIV> for he has remembered his promise of mercy, </DIV>
<DIV>The promise he made to our fathers, *</DIV>
<DIV> to Abraham and his children for ever. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psalm 80: 1 - 7 (alt. for RCL) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 80:1 (NRSV) Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, </DIV>
<DIV>you who lead Joseph like a flock! </DIV>
<DIV>You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth </DIV>
<DIV>2 before E'phraim and Benjamin and Manas'seh. </DIV>
<DIV>Stir up your might, </DIV>
<DIV>and come to save us! </DIV>
<DIV>3 Restore us, O God; </DIV>
<DIV>let your face shine, that we may be saved. </DIV>
<DIV>4 O LORD God of hosts, </DIV>
<DIV>how long will you be angry with your people's prayers? </DIV>
<DIV>5 You have fed them with the bread of tears, </DIV>
<DIV>and given them tears to drink in full measure. </DIV>
<DIV>6 You make us the scorn of our neighbors; </DIV>
<DIV>our enemies laugh among themselves. </DIV>
<DIV>7 Restore us, O God of hosts; </DIV>
<DIV>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> </DIV>
<DIV>Psalm 80: 1 - 2, 14 - 15, 17 - 18 (Roman Catholic) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Psal 80:1 (NRSV) Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, </DIV>
<DIV>you who lead Joseph like a flock! </DIV>
<DIV>You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth </DIV>
<DIV>2 before E'phraim and Benjamin and Manas'seh. </DIV>
<DIV>Stir up your might, </DIV>
<DIV>and come to save us! </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>14 Turn again, O God of hosts; </DIV>
<DIV>look down from heaven, and see; </DIV>
<DIV>have regard for this vine, </DIV>
<DIV>15 the stock that your right hand planted. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>17 But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand, </DIV>
<DIV>the one whom you made strong for yourself. </DIV>
<DIV>18 Then we will never turn back from you; </DIV>
<DIV>give us life, and we will call on your name. </DIV>
<DIV>19 Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; </DIV>
<DIV>let your face shine, that we may be saved. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 10: 5 - 10 (all)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Hebr 10:5 (NRSV) Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
</DIV>
<DIV>"Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, </DIV>
<DIV>but a body you have prepared for me; </DIV>
<DIV>6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings </DIV>
<DIV>you have taken no pleasure. </DIV>
<DIV>7 Then I said, 'See, God, I have come to do your will, O God' </DIV>
<DIV>(in the scroll of the book it is written of me)." </DIV>
<DIV>8 When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in
sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are
offered according to the law), </DIV>
<DIV>9 then he added, "See, I have come to do your will." He abolishes the first
in order to establish the second. </DIV>
<DIV>10 And it is by God's will that we have been sanctified through the
offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>GOSPEL: Luke 1: 39 - 45 (46 - 55) (RCL) </DIV>
<DIV>
Luke 1: 39 - 45 (Roman Catholic) </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Luke 1:39 (NRSV) In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean
town in the hill country, </DIV>
<DIV>40 where she entered the house of Zechari'ah and greeted Elizabeth. </DIV>
<DIV>41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit </DIV>
<DIV>42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed
is the fruit of your womb. </DIV>
<DIV>43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
</DIV>
<DIV>44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb
leaped for joy. </DIV>
<DIV>45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of
what was spoken to her by the Lord." </DIV>
<DIV>46 And Mary said, </DIV>
<DIV>"My soul magnifies the Lord, </DIV>
<DIV>47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, </DIV>
<DIV>48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. </DIV>
<DIV>Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; </DIV>
<DIV>49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me, </DIV>
<DIV>and holy is his name. </DIV>
<DIV>50 His mercy is for those who fear him </DIV>
<DIV>from generation to generation. </DIV>
<DIV>51 He has shown strength with his arm; </DIV>
<DIV>he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. </DIV>
<DIV>52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, </DIV>
<DIV>and lifted up the lowly; </DIV>
<DIV>53 he has filled the hungry with good things, </DIV>
<DIV>and sent the rich away empty. </DIV>
<DIV>54 He has helped his servant Israel, </DIV>
<DIV>in remembrance of his mercy, </DIV>
<DIV>55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors, </DIV>
<DIV>to Abraham and to his descendants forever." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<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>