Wednesday in Advent

FIRST READING

Isaiah 1:24-31

Verse 24. Therefore the Lord GOD of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah, I will be relieved of My foes and avenge Myself on My enemies. Verse 25. I will turn My hand against you; I will thoroughly purge your dross; I will remove all your impurities. Verse 26. I will restore your judges as at first, and your counselors as at the beginning. After that you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.” Verse 27. Zion will be redeemed with justice, her repentant ones with righteousness. Verse 28. But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the LORD will perish. Verse 29. Surely you will be ashamed of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be embarrassed by the gardens that you have chosen. Verse 30. For you will become like an oak whose leaves are withered, like a garden without water. Verse 31. The strong man will become tinder and his work will be a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames.

PSALM

Psalm 90

A prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, You have been our dwelling place through all generations.

Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.

You return man to dust, saying, “Return, O sons of mortals.”

For in Your sight a thousand years are but a day that passes, or a watch of the night.

You sweep them away in their sleep; they are like the new grass of the morning—

in the morning it springs up new, but by evening it fades and withers.

For we are consumed by Your anger and terrified by Your wrath.

You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence.

For all our days decline in Your fury; we finish our years with a sigh.

The length of our days is seventy years — or eighty if we are strong — yet their pride is but labor and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

Who knows the power of Your anger? Your wrath matches the fear You are due.

So teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom.

Return, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on Your servants.

Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us, for as many years as we have seen evil.

May Your work be shown to Your servants, and Your splendor to their children.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish for us the work of our hands— yes, establish the work of our hands!

SECOND READING

Luke 11:29-32

Verse 29. As the crowds were increasing, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It demands a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. Verse 30. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation. Verse 31. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now One greater than Solomon is here. Verse 32. The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here.