December 20th, 2004, Friday of the third week of Advent.

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

The Lord spoke to Ahaz.

Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God.

Let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky.

But Ahaz answered, I will not ask, I will not tempt the Lord. Then Isaiah said,

Listen, O House of David. Is it not enough for you to worry men? Must you also worry my God?

The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.

The word of the Lord. The responsorial Psalm. The response is, let the Lord enter. He is the

king of glory. The lords are the earth and its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it,

for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Let the Lord enter. He is the

king of glory. Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord, or who may stand in his holy place?

He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain. Let the Lord enter.

He is the king of glory. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, a reward from God, his Savior.

Such is the race that seeks for him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.

Let the Lord enter.

He is the king of glory.

A reading from the Holy Gospel, according to Luke.

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.

And coming to her, he said, Hail full of grace, the Lord is with you. But she was greatly troubled

at what was said, and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her,

...