For the Lord honours a father above his children, and he confirms a mother’s right over her children.Those who honour their father atone for sins, and those who respect their mother are like those who lay up treasure. From Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6,12-14,NRSV On this Feast of the Holy Family, we hear from a book that contained wise…
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Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem;for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations;and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. From Isaiah 52:7-10 , NRSV Isaiah’s words were first addressed to the people of Israel…
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But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to…
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See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?…
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And she said, ‘Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the Lord. For this child I prayed; and the Lord has granted me the petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he lives, he is given to…
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My beloved speaks and says to me:‘Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away;for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come,and the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land. From Song of Songs 2:8-14, NRSV The Song…
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Then Isaiah said: ‘Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. From Isaiah 7:10-14, 8:10, NRSV…
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But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah,from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel,whose origin is from of old, from ancient days. From Micah 5:1-4, NRSV Micah’s prophecy probably seemed improbable to those who first heard it. It would not seem likely that…
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The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he…
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‘Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you.Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up.He crouches down, he stretches out like a lion, like a lioness—who dares rouse him up?The sceptre shall not…
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