This 3rd week in Advent is dedicated to the gospel ministry, those ministers who must proclaim the coming of the Lord. This is the first of two John the Baptist weeks, and this week matched the December "Ember week." The Collect connects pastors to the prophetic vocation that John the Baptist held. The Epistle from 1 Corinthians 4 warns about judging wrongly, and it warns against mistreating clergy. The Gospel comes from St. Matthew 11, illustrating both the work of the messiah and the person and demeanor of John, the messiah's messenger. The two Old Testament readings come from Isaiah 25 & 26.