THE GOSPEL
Luke 3:10-18The crowds … tax collectors … soldiers … asked John the Baptist,
“what should we do?
What
should we do
to ready our hearts
O Lord for your coming?
Your Baptist says we must
give away our coat,
share our food,
make justice
for all.
Lord,
baptize us with the fire of your Holy Spirit
burn the chaff from the wheat.
gather us into your kind
and loving arms.
Warm our
hearts
to share your
love with everyone.
THE FIRST READING
Zephaniah 3:14-18a
He will sing joyfully because of you.
God’s zeal, God’s joy in us,
brings a savior into
our very midst
to dwell in
us,
to
hold out our
hands and soften
our hearts.
God,
Our Lord,
we love your delight
in the beauty of our days,
in the surprise of our creation,
in the graced lives of the ones we love.
You
sing our
lives into being.
THE SECOND READING
Philippians 4:4-7
Then the peace of God will guard your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus.
O people,
Rejoice!
In thanksgiving
we make our requests
known to you.
We ask that all refugees find loving homes,
that you help us repair our climate crisis,
end sickness and unemployment,
all violence everywhere,
And,
Lord,
please,
let the peace that
surpasses all understanding
guard our hearts
and minds
in Christ
Jesus.