Gospel of December 16 2018

Book of Zephaniah 3,14-18a.
Rejoice, daughter of Zion, rejoice, Israel, and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem!
The Lord has lifted your sentence, has scattered your enemy. King of Israel is the Lord among you, you will no longer see misfortune.
On that day it will be said in Jerusalem: “Do not be afraid, Zion, do not let your arms drop!
The Lord your God among you is a powerful savior. He will exult with joy for you, he will renew you with his love, he will rejoice for you with cries of joy,
like on holidays. "

Book of Isaiah 12,2-3.4bcd.5-6.
Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, I will never be afraid,
because my strength and my song is the Lord;
he was my salvation.
You will draw water with joy
at the sources of salvation.

“Praise the Lord, call on his name;
manifest its wonders among peoples,
proclaim that his name is sublime.

Sing hymns to the Lord, because he has done great works,
this is known throughout the earth.
Joyful and exultant shouts, inhabitants of Zion,
because great among you is the Holy One of Israel. "

Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Philippians 4,4: 7-XNUMX.
Rejoice in the Lord always; I repeat it again, rejoice.
Your affability is known to all men. The Lord is near!
Do not worry about anything, but in every necessity expose your requests to God, with prayers, supplications and thanks;
and the peace of God, which surpasses all intelligence, will guard your hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus.

From the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Luke 3,10-18.
The crowds asked him, "What should we do?"
He replied: "Whoever has two tunics, give one to those who do not; and whoever has food, do the same ».
Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and asked him, "Master, what should we do?"
And he said to them, "Do not demand anything more than what has been fixed for you."
Some soldiers also asked him: "What are we to do?" He replied: "Do not mistreat or extort anything from anyone, be content with your wages."
Since the people were waiting and everyone wondered in their hearts, regarding John, if he were not the Christ,
John replied to all saying: «I baptize you with water; but one who is stronger than me comes, to whom I am not even worth loosening the tie of my sandals: he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire.
He holds the fan in his hand to clean up his threshing floor and to collect the wheat in the barn; but the chaff will burn it with unquenchable fire ».
With many other exhortations he announced the good news to the people.