Daily Readings - Mon Jan 08 2018
First Reading - Isaiah 55.1-11
Isaiah
1All you who thirst, come to the waters. And you who have no money: hurry, buy and eat. Approach, buy wine and milk, without money and without barter2Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and expend your labor for what does not satisfy? Listen very closely to me, and eat what is good, and then your soul will be delighted by a full measure3Incline your ear and draw near to me. Listen, and your soul will live. And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, by the faithful mercies of David4Behold, I have presented him as a witness to the people, as a commander and instructor to the nations5Behold, you will call to a nation that you did not know. And nations that did not know you will rush to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel. For he has glorified you6Seek the Lord, while he is able to be found. Call upon him, while he is near7Let the impious one abandon his way, and the iniquitous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will take pity on him, and to our God, for he is great in forgiveness8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways, says the Lord9For just as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so also are my ways exalted above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts10And in the same manner as rain and snow descend from heaven, and no longer return there, but soak the earth, and water it, and cause it to bloom and to provide seed to the sower and bread to the hungry11so also will my word be, which will go forth from my mouth. It will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish whatever I will, and it will prosper in the tasks for which I sent it
Gospel - Mark 1.7-11
Mark
7And 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.9And it happened that, in those days, Jesus arrived from Nazareth of Galilee. And he was baptized by John in the Jordan10And immediately, upon ascending from the water, he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit, like a dove, descending, and remaining with him11And there was a voice from heaven: "You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound invitations to embrace God’s grace and recognize His divine plan. The passage from Isaiah extends a heartfelt invitation to all who thirst, urging them to seek spiritual nourishment from God. It emphasizes His mercy and the transformative power of His word, which always accomplishes its purpose. In contrast, the Gospel of Mark presents John the Baptist’s humble acknowledgment of Jesus as the mightier one, followed by the baptism of Jesus, where the Holy Spirit descends, and God declares Jesus His beloved Son.
These readings, though from different contexts, beautifully intertwine. Isaiah’s call to repentance and trust in God’s mercy finds fulfillment in Mark’s narrative of Jesus, who embodies God’s grace and brings the Holy Spirit. Both texts highlight the theme of divine invitation and the effectiveness of God’s word. Isaiah’s message of hope and forgiveness is realized in Jesus, who through His baptism, inaugurates a new era of God’s presence among His people.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to seek God’s grace with humility and openness. Just as John the Baptist recognized his role in God’s plan, we too can acknowledge our need for God’s Spirit. Let us trust in His divine plan, embracing our role as beloved children of God, and live in the confidence of His love and mercy. May we, like the Israelites, turn to God, and may our souls be delighted by the fullness of His presence.