
Reading I
 Is 42:1-4, 6-7 or Is  40:1-5, 9-11
Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the  nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching. 
I, the LORD, have called you for the  victory of justice,
 I have grasped you by the hand;
 I formed you, and set you
 as a covenant of the people,
 a light for the nations,
 to open the eyes of the blind,
 to bring out prisoners from confinement,
 and from the  dungeon, those who live in darkness. 
or
Comfort, give comfort to my people,
 says your God.
 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim  to her
 that her service is at an end,
 her guilt is expiated;
 indeed, she has received from the hand of  the LORD
 double for all her sins.
A voice cries out:
 In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!
 Make straight in the wasteland a highway  for our God!
 Every valley shall be filled in,
 every mountain and hill shall be made low;
 the rugged land shall be made a plain,
 the rough country, a broad valley.Then the  glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
 and all people shall see it together;
 for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Go up on to a high mountain,
 Zion, herald of glad tidings;
 cry out at the top of your voice,
 Jerusalem, herald of good news!
 Fear not to cry out
 and say to the cities of Judah:
 Here is your God!
 Here comes with power
 the Lord GOD,
 who rules by a strong arm;
 here is his reward with him,
 his recompense before him.
 Like a shepherd he feeds his flock;
 in his arms he gathers the lambs,
 carrying them in his bosom,
 and leading the  ewes with care.
Responsorial Psalm
   Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10.
  (11b)  The Lord will bless his people with peace.
 Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
 give to the LORD glory and praise,
 Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
 adore the LORD in holy attire.
 The  Lord will bless his people with peace.
 The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
 the LORD, over vast waters.
 The voice of the LORD is mighty;
 the voice of the LORD is majestic.
 The  Lord will bless his people with peace.
 The God of glory thunders,
 and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
 The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
 the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
 The  Lord will bless his people with peace.
Reading II
 Acts 10:34-38 or  Ti 2:11-14; 3:4-7
 Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
 in the house of Cornelius, saying:
 “In truth, I see that God shows no  partiality.
 Rather, in every nation whoever fears him  and acts uprightly
 is acceptable to him.
 You know the word that he sent to the  Israelites
 as he proclaimed peace through Jesus  Christ, who is Lord of all,
 what has happened all over Judea,
 beginning in Galilee after the baptism
 that John preached,
 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
 with the Holy Spirit and power.
 He went about doing good
 and healing all those oppressed by the  devil,
 for God was with him.” 
or
Beloved:
 The grace of God has appeared, saving all
 and training us to reject godless ways and  worldly desires
 and to live temperately, justly, and  devoutly in this age,
 as we await the blessed hope,
 the appearance of the glory of our great  God
 and savior Jesus Christ,
 who gave himself for us to deliver us from  all lawlessness
 and to cleanse for himself a people as his  own,
 eager to do what is good.
When the kindness and generous love
 of God our savior appeared,
 not because of any righteous deeds we had  done
 but because of his mercy,
 He saved us through the bath of rebirth
 and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
 whom he richly poured out on us
 through Jesus Christ our savior,
 so that we might be justified by his grace
 and become heirs  in hope of eternal life.
Gospel
 Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
 The people were filled with  expectation,
 and all were asking in their hearts
 whether John might be the Christ.
 John answered them all, saying,
 “I am baptizing you with water,
 but one mightier than I is coming.
 I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his  sandals.
 He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit  and fire.”
After all the people had been baptized
 and Jesus also had been baptized and was  praying,
 heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit  descended upon him
 in bodily form like a dove.
 And a voice came from heaven,
 “You are my beloved Son;


