Sunday, December 13, 2020

Readings for December 13, 2020 annotated, lectionary 8



This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks  will take you to additional translations. The entire chapter is included to provide context. 

Information about the meaning the original Hebrew or Greek of what seem to be key words is provided in blue beneath each reading.

Text highlighted in yellow tells us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him. 

Text in green tells us about something God wants us to do. 

 Text in red tells us what not to do

Reading 1 

Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God.

***

I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation and wrapped me in a mantle of justice, like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem, like a bride bedecked with her jewels. 

 

As the earth brings forth its plants, and a garden makes its growth spring up, so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise spring up before all the nations.

 

spirit = רוּחַ= ruwach

Blue Letter Bible

wind, breath, mind; that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation;seat of emotion;seat or organ of mental acts; impelling prophet to utter instruction or warning; the creative word of God; breath, life, the vital principle; divine and miraculous power; mode of thinking and acting

 

anointed = מָשַׁח= mashach

Blue Letter Bible

to smear, anoint, spread a liquid; to paint; spread over; to consecrate

 

sent = שָׁלַח= shalach

Blue Letter Bible

extend, direct; be impelled; cast, throw; inform by a messenger; to command; depute

 

bring = בָּשַׂר= basar

Blue Letter Bible

to bear news, bear tidings, publish, preach, show forth; to gladden with good news

 

proclaim = קָרָא= qara'

Blue Letter Bible

to call, call out, recite, read, cry out; utter a loud sound; to call unto; preach; summon, celebrate

 

Heartily = שׂוּשׂ= suws

Blue Letter Bible

to exult, rejoice; display 


Responsorial Psalm 

Luke 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-53

R. (Is 61:10b) My soul rejoices in my God.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked upon his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

 

R. My soul rejoices in my God.

the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those 
who fear him in every generation.

***

R. My soul rejoices in my God.
He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy
R. My soul rejoices in my God.

 

Reading 2 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.
In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
Do not quench the Spirit.
Do not despise prophetic utterances.
Test everything; retain what is good.
Refrain from every kind of evil.

May the God of peace make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it.
 

Alleluia 

Isaiah 61:1(as quoted in Luke 4:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel 

John 1:6-8, 19-28

A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. 
 

***

And this is the testimony of John.

When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?” he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.” So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?”

He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘make straight the way of the Lord,’” as Isaiah the prophet said.”

Some Pharisees were also sent.  They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?”

John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”

This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

 

sent = ποστλλω = apostellō   

Blue Letter Bible

to send forth; to send on service, or with a commission;to order (one) to go to a place appointed;set apart; to send off, send away;persons sent with commissions, or things intended for someone

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon

send off or away from;dispatch, on some mission or service 

 

testify = μαρτυρω = martyreō

Blue Letter Bible

Report; to be a witness, bear witness, testify; to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something; bear record; to give (not to keep back) testimony; to prove or confirm by testimony;to declare to one by testimony

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon 

bear witness, give evidence; testify that a thing is


crying out = βοω = boaō

Blue Letter Bible

to raise a cry; to speak with a strong voice; to implore; to halloo, i.e. shout (... in a tumultuous way)

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon 

men ready to shout; roar, howl; resound, echo; proclaims; call for, shout out for; cry aloud or command in aloud notice to do a thing; to be filled with sound

 

What these readings tell us about God & His ways:

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me

he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor

to heal the brokenhearted

to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners

to announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God.

I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul; for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation and wrapped me in a mantle of justice

As the earth brings forth its plants, and a garden makes its growth spring up, so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise spring up before all the nations.

My soul rejoices in my God.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

he has looked upon his lowly servant.

My soul rejoices in my God.

the Almighty has done great things for me

holy is his Name
He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.
My soul rejoices in my God.
He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant

he has remembered his promise of mercy

the God of peace

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor

A man named John was sent from God

He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him
He was not the light, but came to testify to the light

there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie

What these readings tell us to do:

fear him 

Rejoice always

Pray without ceasing
In all circumstances give thanks

Test everything

retain what is good

make straight the way of the Lord

 

What these readings tell us not to do:

Do not quench the Spirit
Do not despise prophetic utterances
Refrain from every kind of evil

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