December 5, 2027

1Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on forever the splendor of glory from God: 2Wrapped in the mantle of justice from God, place on your head the diadem of the glory of the Eternal One. 3For God will show your splendor to all under the heavens; 4you will be named by God forever: the peace of justice, the glory of God’s worship. 5Rise up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights; look to the east and see your children Gathered from east to west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing that they are remembered by God. 6Led away on foot by their enemies they left you: but God will bring them back to you carried high in glory as on royal thrones. 7For God has commanded that every lofty mountain and the age-old hills be made low, That the valleys be filled to make level ground, that Israel may advance securely in the glory of God. 8The forests and every kind of fragrant tree have overshadowed Israel at God’s command; 9For God is leading Israel in joy by the light of his glory, with the mercy and justice that are his.

1Psalm 126 The Reversal of Zion’s Fortunes - A song of ascents. I - When the LORD restored the captives of Zion, we thought we were dreaming. 2Then our mouths were filled with laughter; our tongues sang for joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD had done great things for them.” 3The LORD has done great things for us; Oh, how happy we were! 4Restore our captives, LORD, like the dry stream beds of the Negeb. 5II - Those who sow in tears will reap with cries of joy. 6Those who go forth weeping, carrying sacks of seed, Will return with cries of joy, carrying their bundled sheaves.

4praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you, 5because of your partnership for the gospel from the first day until now. 6I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. 8For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, 10to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

4as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. 6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

1In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, 2during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert. 3He went throughout [the] whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. 5Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, 6and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”