“Life is more powerful than death.” Isaiah 11:1–5
The Righteous Reign of the Branch
11
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
2
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3
And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
4
but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5
Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
and faithfulness the belt of his loins.
THE COLLECT OF THE DAY
O Lord, as we have known the incarnation of Your Son, Jesus Christ. by the message of the angel to the virgin Mary, so by the message of His cross and passion bring us to the glory of His resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. AMEN

