A reading from
the holy Gospel according to Luke1:67-79
Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;/ for he has come to his people and set them free./ He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,/ born of the house of his servant David./ Through his prophets he promised of old/ that he would save us from our enemies,/ from the hands of all who hate us./ He promised to show mercy to our fathers/ and to remember his holy covenant./ This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:/ to set us free from the hand of our enemies,/ free to worship him without fear,/ holy and righteous in his sight/ all the days of our life./ You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,/ for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,/ to give his people knowledge of salvation/ by the forgiveness of their sins./ In the tender compassion of our God/ the dawn from on high shall break upon us,/ to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,/ and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
