FIRST
READING: Isaiah 49:
1 - 6
1
Listen to me, O coastlands, and hearken, you peoples from afar. The
LORD called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my
name.
2
He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid
me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away.
3
And he said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will
be glorified."
4
But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength
for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my
recompense with my God."
5
And now the LORD says, who formed me from the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him, and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my
strength --
6
he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of
Israel; I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation
may reach to the end of the earth."
PSALM:
Psalms 139: 1 - 3, 13 - 15
1
O LORD, thou hast searched me and known me!
2
Thou knowest when I sit down and when I rise up; thou discernest my
thoughts from afar.
3
Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with
all my ways.
13
For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in
my mother's womb.
14
I praise thee, for thou art fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are thy
works! Thou knowest me right well;
15
my frame was not hidden from thee, when I was being made in secret,
intricately wrought in the depths of the earth.
SECOND
READING: Acts 13:
22 - 26
22
And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king; of
whom he testified and said, `I have found in David the son of Jesse a
man after my heart, who will do all my will.'
23
Of this man's posterity God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as
he promised.
24
Before his coming John had preached a baptism of repentance to all
the people of Israel.
25
And as John was finishing his course, he said, `What do you suppose
that I am? I am not he. No, but after me one is coming, the sandals
of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.'
26
"Brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you
that fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.
GOSPEL:
Luke 1: 57 - 66, 80
57
Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, and she gave birth
to a son.
58
And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great
mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59
And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they
would have named him Zechari'ah after his father,
60
but his mother said, "Not so; he shall be called John."
61
And they said to her, "None of your kindred is called by this
name."
62
And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he would have him
called.
63
And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is
John." And they all marveled.
64
And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he
spoke, blessing God.
65
And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were
talked about through all the hill country of Judea;
66
and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What
then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him.
80
And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the
wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel.
