A READING FROM THE BOOK OF BARUCH

Jerusalem take off the clothes you have worn in your mourning and put on the eternal splendor of God’s glory.  Put round you the cloak of God’s righteousness.  Place your head the crown of glory of the eternal God.  God will show your splendor to every nation on earth.  Forever He will say to you.  Your security comes from your righteousness and your splendor from your devotion to me. 

Get up, Jerusalem, stand on the mountain top, see where God the holy one is bringing your children together from the east and from the west.  They are rejoicing that God has remembered them.  Jerusalem, your children were led away by their enemies.  They left you on foot but God is bringing them back to you, carried in royal splendor.  God has commanded that the valleys shall be filled and the ground leveled, so that the people of Israel may come safely home in the glory of God.  At the command of God, forests of fragrant trees will spring up to provide shade for the people of Israel.  God will lead Israel home.  They will return with great joy, guided by His mercy and righteousness, surrounded by the light of His glorious presence. (CHAPTER 5 :1 – 9)

This is the Word of the Lord

Thanks be to God