Today’s Readings

The desert and the parched land will exult;the steppe will rejoice and bloom.They will bloom with abundant flowers,and rejoice with joyful song.The glory of Lebanon will be given to them,the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;they will see the glory of the LORD,the splendor of our God.Strengthen the hands that are feeble,make firm the knees that are weak,say to those whose hearts are frightened:Be strong, fear not!Here is your God,he comes with vindication;with divine recompensehe comes to save you.Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,the ears of the deaf be cleared;then will the lame leap like a stag,then the tongue of the mute will sing.Those whom the LORD has ransomed will returnand enter Zion singing,crowned with everlasting joy;they will meet with joy and gladness,sorrow and mourning will flee.

R. (cf. Is 35:4)  Lord, come and save us.or:R. Alleluia.The LORD God keeps faith forever,secures justice for the oppressed,gives food to the hungry.The LORD sets captives free. R. Lord, come and save us.or:R. Alleluia.The LORD gives sight to the blind;the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.The LORD loves the just;the LORD protects strangers.R. Lord, come and save us.or:R. Alleluia.The fatherless and the widow he sustains,but the way of the wicked he thwarts.The LORD shall reign forever;your God, O Zion, through all generations.R. Lord, come and save us.or:R. Alleluia.

Be patient, brothers and sisters,until the coming of the Lord.See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with ituntil it receives the early and the late rains.You too must be patient.Make your hearts firm,because the coming of the Lord is at hand.Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another, that you may not be judged.Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates.Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters,the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Alleluia Is 61:1 (cited in Lk 4:18)

R. Alleluia, alleluia.The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he has anointed meto bring glad tidings to the poor.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question, "Are you the one who is to come,or should we look for another?"Jesus said to them in reply, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk,lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear,the dead are raised,and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me."As they were going off,Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, "What did you go out to the desert to see?A reed swayed by the wind?Then what did you go out to see?Someone dressed in fine clothing?Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces.Then why did you go out?  To see a prophet?Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.This is the one about whom it is written:Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;he will prepare your way before you.Amen, I say to you,among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

In those days,like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijahwhose words were as a flaming furnace.Their staff of bread he shattered,in his zeal he reduced them to straits;By the Lord's word he shut up the heavensand three times brought down fire.How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!Whose glory is equal to yours?You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire,in a chariot with fiery horses.You were destined, it is written, in time to cometo put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD,To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons,and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob.Blessed is he who shall have seen you and who falls asleep in your friendship.

R.(4) Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.O shepherd of Israel, hearken,From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.Rouse your power.R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.Once again, O LORD of hosts,look down from heaven, and see;Take care of this vine,and protect what your right hand has plantedthe son of man whom you yourself made strong.R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.May your help be with the man of your right hand,with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.Then we will no more withdraw from you;give us new life, and we will call upon your name.R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:All flesh shall see the salvation of God.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

As they were coming down from the mountain,the disciples asked Jesus,"Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"He said in reply, "Elijah will indeed come and restore all things;but I tell you that Elijah has already come,and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands."Then the disciples understoodthat he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

For the readings of the Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, please go here.

Thus says the LORD, your redeemer,the Holy One of Israel:I, the LORD, your God,teach you what is for your good,and lead you on the way you should go.If you would hearken to my commandments,your prosperity would be like a river,and your vindication like the waves of the sea;Your descendants would be like the sand,and those born of your stock like its grains,Their name never cut offor blotted out from my presence.

R.(see John 8:12) Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.Blessed the man who follows notthe counsel of the wickedNor walks in the way of sinners,nor sits in the company of the insolent,But delights in the law of the LORDand meditates on his law day and night.R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.He is like a treeplanted near running water,That yields its fruit in due season,and whose leaves never fade.Whatever he does, prospers.R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.Not so the wicked, not so;they are like chaff which the wind drives away.For the LORD watches over the way of the just,but the way of the wicked vanishes.R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.The Lord will come; go out to meet him!He is the prince of peace.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus said to the crowds:"To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another,'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance,we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said,'He is possessed by a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said,'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is vindicated by her works."

For the readings of the Memorial of Saint Lucy, please go here.