December 19, 2018
I hope you have a nice day today too.
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Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent
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Gospel : Luke 1:5-25
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
8 Now while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his division,
9 according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14 You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God.
17 He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord."
18 Zacharias said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."
19 The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.
20 Behold,* you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you didn't believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marvelled that he delayed in the temple.
22 When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.
23 When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.
24 After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,
25 "Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach amongst men."
*1:20: "Behold", from "?δο?", means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
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Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a
2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and childless.
3 the LORD's angel appeared to the woman, and said to her, "See now, you are barren and childless; but you shall conceive, and bear a son.
4 Now therefore please beware and drink no wine nor strong drink, and don't eat any unclean thing:
5 for, behold, you shall conceive, and give birth to a son. No razor shall come on his head; for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb. He shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."
6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, "A man of God came to me, and his face was like the face of the angel of God, very awesome. I didn't ask him where he was from, neither did he tell me his name;
7 but he said to me, 'Behold, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink. Don't eat any unclean thing; for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.'"
24 The woman bore a son, and named him Samson. The child grew, and the LORD blessed him.
25a the LORD's Spirit began to move him in Mahaneh Dan,
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* The World English Bible
http://ebible.org/web/
◇ December 19, 2018 Daily Mass Reading
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/18_12_19.mp3
◇ Daily Readings December 19, 2018
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/121918.cfm
◇ Liturgical Calendar
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendarday.php?date=2018-12-19
◇ Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Luke.1
◇ King James Version Bible Online
http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/book.php?book=Luke&chapter=1&verse=
◇ The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/index.cfm
◇ Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/
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