Advent Weekday
December 21, 2018
First Reading: Song of Solomon 2:8-14
8The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills.9My beloved is like a gazelle, or a young stag. Behold, there he stands behind our wall, gazing in at the windows, looking through the lattice. 10My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; 11for lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. 12The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. 13The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. 14O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is comely.
Psalm: Ps. 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21
2Praise the LORD with the lyre, make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! 3Sing to him a new song, play skilfully on the strings, with loud shouts. 11The counsel of the LORD stands for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! 20Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and shield. 21Yea, our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
39In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40and she entered the house of Zechari’ah and greeted Elizabeth. 41And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!43And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Reflection for the day: “He who does something good and expects a reward is serving not God but his own will.”-St. Mark the Ascetic
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