Readings for Celebrating Advent

⁶⁸ “Praise to the Lord God of Israel.
    He has come to help his people
    and has given them freedom.
⁶⁹ He has given us a powerful Savior
    from the family of his servant David.
⁷⁰ This is what he promised
    through his holy prophets long ago.
⁷¹ He will save us from our enemies
    and from the power of all those who hate us.
⁷² God said he would show mercy to our fathers,
    and he remembered his holy agreement.
⁷³ This was the promise he made to our father Abraham,
⁷⁴     a promise to free us from the power of our enemies,
so that we could serve him without fear
⁷⁵     in a way that is holy and right for as long as we live.

⁷⁶ “Now you, little boy, will be called a prophet of the Most High God.
    You will go first before the Lord to prepare the way for him.
⁷⁷ You will make his people understand that they will be saved
    by having their sins forgiven.

⁷⁸ “With the loving mercy of our God,
    a new day^[a] from heaven will shine on us.
⁷⁹ It will bring light to those who live in darkness, in the fear of death.
    It will guide us into the way that brings peace.”