on earth as it is in heaven

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

because the Lord has anointed me 

to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor

and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn.

To grant to those who mourn in Zion - 

to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning;

the garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair, 

that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

They shall build up the ancient ruins;

they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair cities,

the devastations of many generations.

Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks'

foreigners shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers,

but you shall be called priests of the Lord;

they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God;

you shall eat the wealth of nations,

and in their glory you shall boast.

Instead of shame, there shall be a double portion;

instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;

therefore in their land they shall possess a double portions;

they shall have everlasting joy.

For I the Lord love justice;

I hate robbery and iniquity;

I will faithfully give them their recompense,

and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

Their offspring shall be known among the nations,

and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;

al who see them shall acknowledge them,

that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;

mys soul shall exult in my God,

for he has clothed me with garments of salvation;

He has covered me in the robe of righteousness.

as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,

and as a brie adorns herself with jewels.

For as the earth brings forth its sprouts.

and as a garden causes what is sown in ti to sprout up,

so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise

to sprout up before all nations.

Isaiah 61

Oh, how He has loved us! Merry Christmas, from our family to yours!