Forefeast of Nativity

Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken, ⁶but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house. We are his house, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end. ⁷Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear his voice, ⁸don’t harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of the trial in the wilderness, ⁹where your fathers tested me and tried me, and saw my deeds for forty years. ¹⁰Therefore I was displeased with that generation, and said, ‘They always err in their heart, but they didn’t know my ways.’ ¹¹As I swore in my wrath, ‘They will not enter into my rest.’” ¹⁷With whom was he displeased forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸To whom did he swear that they wouldn’t enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient? ¹⁹We see that they weren’t able to enter in because of unbelief.

They came to Jericho. As he went out from Jericho with his disciples and a great multitude, the son of Timaeus, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road. ⁴⁷When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁸Many rebuked him, that he should be quiet, but he cried out much more, “You son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁹Jesus stood still and said, “Call him.” They called the blind man, saying to him, “Cheer up! Get up. He is calling you!”

⁵⁰He, casting away his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.

⁵¹Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “Rabboni, that I may see again.”

⁵²Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your faith has made you well.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the way.