Zephaniah 3:14-18

Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!

The Lord has taken away the judgments against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.

On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion;
do not let your hands grow weak.

The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing

as on a day of festival.
I will remove disaster from you,
so that you will not bear reproach for it.


Psalm 113

He makes the woman of a childless house
to be a mother of children. Alleluia!

Alleluia!
Give praise, you servants of the Lord;
praise the name of the Lord.

Let the name of the Lord  be blessed
from this time forth and for evermore.

He makes the woman of a childless house
to be a mother of children. Alleluia!

From the rising of the sun to its going down
let the name of the Lord praised.

The Lord is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens.

He makes the woman of a childless house
to be a mother of children. Alleluia!

Who is like the Lord our God,
who sits enthroned on high,
but stoops to behold the heavens and the earth?

He takes up the weak out of the dust,
and lifts up the poor from the ashes,

He makes the woman of a childless house
to be a mother of children. Alleluia!

He sets them with the princes,
with the princes of his people.

He makes the woman of a childless house,
to be a joyful mother of children.

 He makes the woman of a childless house
to be a mother of children. Alleluia!


Romans 12.9-16

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

Let love be genuine;
hate what is evil,
hold fast to what is good;

love one another with mutual affection;
outdo one another in showing honour.

Do not lag in zeal,
be ardent in spirit,
serve the Lord.

Rejoice in hope,
be patient in suffering,
persevere in prayer.

Contribute to the needs of the saints;
extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you;
bless and do not curse them.

Rejoice with those who rejoice,
weep with those who weep.

Live in harmony with one another;
do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly;
do not claim to be wiser than you are.


Gospel  Luke 1.39-56

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.

Mary set out and went with haste
to a Judean town in the hill country,

where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the child leaped in her womb.
And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit

and exclaimed with a loud cry,
"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

And why has this happened to me,
that the mother of my Lord comes to me?

For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting,
the child in my womb leapt for joy.

And blessed is she who believed
that there would be a fulfilment
of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

And Mary said,
"My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,

for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.

His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;

he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,

according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever."

And Mary remained with her about three months
and then returned to her home.