FIRST
READING: Genesis
3: 9 - 15, 20
9
But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are
you?"
10
And he said, "I heard the sound of thee in the garden, and I was
afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."
11
He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of
the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"
12
The man said, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she
gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate."
13
Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have
done?" The woman said, "The serpent beguiled me, and I
ate."
14
The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all cattle, and above all wild animals; upon
your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your
life.
15
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed
and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his
heel."
20
The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all
living.
PSALM:
Psalms 98:
1 - 4
1
O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His
right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
2
The LORD has made known his victory, he has revealed his vindication
in the sight of the nations.
3
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of
Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4
Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into
joyous song and sing praises!
SECOND
READING: Ephesians
1: 3 - 6, 11 - 12
3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has
blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly
places,
4
even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and blameless before him.
5
He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according
to the purpose of his will,
6
to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in
the Beloved.
11
In him, according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things
according to the counsel of his will,
12
we who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live
for the praise of his glory.
GOSPEL:
Luke 1:
26 - 38
26
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of
Galilee named Nazareth,
27
to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of
David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28
And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is
with you!"
29
But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her
mind what sort of greeting this might be.
30
And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have
found favor with God.
31
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you
shall call his name Jesus.
32
He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and
the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
33
and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his
kingdom there will be no end."
34
And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no
husband?"
35
And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the
child to be born will be called
holy,
the Son of God.
36
And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also
conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called
barren.
37
For with God nothing will be impossible."
38
And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be
to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
