December 7, 2026

1The wilderness and the parched land will exult; the Arabah will rejoice and bloom; 2Like the crocus it shall bloom abundantly, and rejoice with joyful song. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; They will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God. 3Strengthen hands that are feeble, make firm knees that are weak, 4Say to the fearful of heart: Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; With divine recompense he comes to save you. 5Then the eyes of the blind shall see, and the ears of the deaf be opened; 6Then the lame shall leap like a stag, and the mute tongue sing for joy. For waters will burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the Arabah. 7The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water; The abode where jackals crouch will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus. 8A highway will be there, called the holy way; No one unclean may pass over it, but it will be for his people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray on it. 9No lion shall be there, nor any beast of prey approach, nor be found. But there the redeemed shall walk, 10And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; They meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning flee away.

9III - I will listen for what God, the LORD, has to say; surely he will speak of peace To his people and to his faithful. May they not turn to foolishness! 10Near indeed is his salvation for those who fear him; glory will dwell in our land. 11Love and truth will meet; justice and peace will kiss. 12Truth will spring from the earth; justice will look down from heaven. 13Yes, the LORD will grant his bounty; our land will yield its produce. 14Justice will march before him, and make a way for his footsteps.

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17One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. 18And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set [him] in his presence. 19But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. 20When he saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” 21Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” 22Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? 23Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” 25He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. 26Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.” The Call of Levi.