Today is Tuesday the 19th of December in the third week of Advent.

Paul Zark sings when the Light is Gone.

The tender mercy of our God still holds us when the light is gone.

His guiding hand and guarding rod are with us as we wait for dawn.

Oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,

Oh, sorrow entered with a night.

Oh,

that even now we know his light.

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, His love is steady as the stars whose ancient light is burning still. He walks beside us in the dark the's with us now.

Oh, night is long he's with us now.

Oh, in mercy's ever last in mercy's everlasting now.

Today's.

Today's reading is from the Gospel of Luke. Today we listen just once through to a long

reading about the birth of John the Baptist. Notice God's providence at work,

slowly, patiently preparing the way for the coming of John and of Jesus.

In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named

Zechariah who belonged to the priestly order of Abigia. His wife was a descendant of

Aaron and her name was Elizabeth.

Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the

commandments and regulations of the Lord. But they had no children because Elizabeth was

barren and both were getting on in years. Once when he was serving as priest before God, and his section was on duty, he was chosen

by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense.

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