Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 10, 2017
First Reading: Isaiah 40.1-5, 9-11
1"Be consoled, be consoled, O my people!" says your God2Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, and call out to her! For her malice has reached its end. Her iniquity has been forgiven. She has received double for all her sins from the hand of the Lord3The voice of one crying out in the desert: "Prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight the paths of our God, in a solitary place4Every valley will be exalted, and every mountain and hill will be brought low. And the crooked will be straightened, and the uneven will become level ways5And the glory of the Lord will be revealed. And all flesh together will see that the mouth of the Lord has spoken.9You who evangelize Zion, climb a high mountain! You who evangelize Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength! Lift it up! Do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah: "Behold, your God!10Behold, the Lord God will arrive in strength, and his arm will rule. Behold, his reward is with him, and his work is before him11He will pasture his flock like a shepherd. He will gather together the lambs with his arm, and he will lift them up to his bosom, and he himself will carry the very young
Psalm 85
1Unto the end. A Psalm to the sons of Korah. O Lord, you have blessed your land. You have turned aside the captivity of Jacob2You have released the iniquity of your people. You have covered all their sins3You have mitigated all your wrath. You have turned aside from the wrath of your indignation4Convert us, O God, our Savior, and turn your anger away from us5Will you be angry with us forever? And will you extend your wrath from generation to generation6O God, you will turn back and revive us. And your people will rejoice in you7O Lord, reveal to us your mercy, and grant to us your salvation8I will listen to what the Lord God may be saying to me. For he will speak peace to his people, and to his saints, and to those who are being converted to the heart9So then, truly his salvation is near to those who fear him, so that glory may inhabit our land10Mercy and truth have met each other. Justice and peace have kissed11Truth has risen from the earth, and justice has gazed down from heaven12For so will the Lord give goodness, and our earth will give her fruit13Justice will walk before him, and he will set his steps upon the way
Second Reading: 2 Peter 3.8-14
8Yet truly, let this one thing not escape notice, most beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day9The Lord is not delaying his promise, as some imagine, but he does act patiently for your sake, not wanting anyone to perish, but wanting all to be turned back to penance10Then the day of the Lord shall arrive like a thief. On that day, the heavens shall pass away with great violence, and truly the elements shall be dissolved with heat; then the earth, and the works that are within it, shall be completely burned up11Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what kind of people ought you to be? In behavior and in piety, be holy12waiting for, and hurrying toward, the advent of the day of the Lord, by which the burning heavens shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt from the heat of the fire13Yet truly, in accord with his promises, we are looking forward to the new heavens and the new earth, in which justice lives14Therefore, most beloved, while awaiting these things, be diligent, so that you may be found to be immaculate and unassailable before him, in peace
Gospel: Mark 1.1-8
1The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God2As it has been written by the prophet Isaiah: "Behold, I send my Angel before your face, who shall prepare your way before you3The voice of one crying out in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths.4John was in the desert, baptizing and preaching a baptism of repentance, as a remission of sins5And there went out to him all the region of Judea and all those of Jerusalem, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins6And John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist. And he ate locusts and wild honey7And he preached, saying: "One stronger than me comes after me. I am not worthy to reach down and loosen the laces of his shoes8I have baptized you with water. Yet truly, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we hear a powerful message of preparation, hope, and transformation. The first reading from Isaiah offers words of comfort to a people in exile, urging them to prepare for the coming of the Lord who will bring justice and peace. The prophet describes a God who tends to his people with the care of a shepherd, gathering the lambs in his arms. This passage reminds us that even in times of darkness, God’s promise of redemption is always near. The second reading from 2 Peter shifts our gaze to the future, reminding us that the Lord’s timing is not our own. While we wait for the day of the Lord, we are called to live holy and blameless lives, trusting in God’s patience and mercy. Finally, the Gospel from Mark introduces John the Baptist, the voice crying out in the wilderness, calling people to repentance and baptism. John’s humility and clarity of purpose point us to the One who is to come, Jesus Christ, who will baptize us with the Holy Spirit.
These readings are deeply connected, as they all point to the need for preparation and conversion. Isaiah prepares our hearts for the comfort of God’s presence, 2 Peter calls us to live with purpose as we await the Lord’s return, and Mark’s Gospel shows us how John the Baptist modeled repentance and humility as he prepared the way for Jesus. Together, they remind us that our faith is not static; it requires ongoing conversion and a willingness to be transformed by God’s grace.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How are we preparing our hearts and lives for the Lord’s presence? Are we living with the humility and repentance that John the Baptist exemplified? Are we trusting in God’s timing, even when the world around us seems uncertain? Let us take up the call to holiness, knowing that God is always near, guiding us and tending to us with the care of a shepherd. May we, like John, point others to Christ, and may our lives be a testament to the transformative power of his love.