3ème Dimanche de l'Avent, de Gaudete

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me
because the Lord has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring good news to the humble,
to heal those whose hearts are broken,
to proclaim release to captives,
freedom to prisoners,
to proclaim a year of favor granted by the Lord.

I exult for joy in the Lord,
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he has wrapped me in the mantle of justice,
like a bridegroom decked with a diadem,
like a bride adorned with her jewels.
As the earth brings forth its shoots,
and the garden makes its seeds sprout,
the Lord God will make righteousness and praise spring up
before all the nations.

– The word of the Lord.

My soul magnifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
He has looked upon his humble servant;
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.

The Almighty has done great things for me;
Holy is his name!
His mercy extends from age to age
for those who fear him.

He fills the hungry with good things,
sends the rich away empty-handed.
He lifts up Israel his servant,
he remembers his love

Brothers and sisters,
always be joyful,
pray without ceasing,
give thanks in all circumstances:
this is God’s will for you
in Christ Jesus.
Do not quench the Spirit,
do not despise prophecies,
but discern the value of everything:
keep what is good;
keep away from every kind of evil.
May the God of peace himself
sanctify you completely;
may your spirit, your soul, and your body
be kept blameless for the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He who calls you is faithful:
he will accomplish all this.

– The word of the Lord.

There was a man sent by God;
his name was John.
He came as a witness,
to testify to the Light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the Light,
but he came to bear witness to the Light.

This is the testimony of John,
when the Jews sent from Jerusalem
priests and Levites
to ask him:
“Who are you?”
He did not refuse to answer, he declared openly:
“I am not the Christ.”
They asked him:
“So what about you?
Are you the prophet Elijah?”
He answered:
“I am not.”
– “Are you the Prophet foretold?”
He answered:
“No.”
So they said to him:
“Who are you?
We have to give an answer
to those who sent us.
What do you say about yourself?”
He answered:
“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
Make straight the way of the Lord,
as the prophet Isaiah said.”
Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.
They asked him yet again:
“Why then do you baptize,
if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
John answered them:
“I baptize with water.
But among you
stands one whom you do not know;
it is he who comes after me,
and I am not worthy
to untie the strap of his sandal.”

This happened at Bethany, on the other side of the Jordan,
at the place where John was baptizing.

– Let us acclaim the word of God.