Daily Readings - Sun Dec 08 2019

¹And a rod will go forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower will ascend from his root²And the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety³And he will be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord. He will not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears⁴Instead, he will judge the poor with justice, and he will reprove the meek of the earth with fairness. And he will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and he will slay the impious with the spirit of his lips⁵And justice will be the belt around his waist. And faith will be the warrior’s belt at his side⁶The wolf will dwell with the lamb; and the leopard will lie down with the kid; the calf and the lion and the sheep will abide together; and a little boy will drive them⁷The calf and the bear will feed together; their young ones will rest together. And the lion will eat straw like the ox⁸And a breastfeeding infant will play above the lair of the asp. And a child who has been weaned will thrust his hand into the den of the king snake⁹They will not harm, and they will not kill, on all my holy mountain. For the earth has been filled with the knowledge of the Lord, like the waters covering the sea¹⁰In that day, the root of Jesse, who stands as a sign among the people, the same the Gentiles shall beseech, and his sepulcher will be glorious

Romans

Chapter 15

⁴For whatever was written, was written to teach us, so that, through patience and the consolation of the Scriptures, we might have hope⁵So may the God of patience and solace grant you to be of one mind toward one another, in accord with Jesus Christ⁶so that, together with one mouth, you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ⁷For this reason, accept one another, just as Christ also has accepted you, in the honor of God⁸For I declare that Christ Jesus was the minister of circumcision because of the truth of God, so as to confirm the promises to the fathers⁹and that the Gentiles are to honor God because of his mercy, just as it was written: "Because of this, I will confess you among the Gentiles, O Lord, and I will sing to your name.

Matthew

Chapter 3

¹Now in those days, John the Baptist arrived, preaching in the desert of Judea²and saying: "Repent. For the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.³For this is the one who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, saying: "A voice crying out in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight his paths.⁴Now the same John had a garment made from the hair of camels, and a leather belt around his waist. And his food was locusts and wild honey⁵Then Jerusalem, and all Judea, and the entire region around the Jordan went out to him⁶And they were baptized by him in the Jordan, acknowledging their sins⁷Then, seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees arriving for his baptism, he said to them: "Progeny of vipers, who warned to you to flee from the approaching wrath⁸Therefore, produce fruit worthy of repentance⁹And do not choose to say within yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God has the power to raise up sons to Abraham from these stones¹⁰For even now the axe has been placed at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that does not produce good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire¹¹Indeed, I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who will come after me is more powerful than me. I am not worthy to carry his shoes. He will baptize you with the fire of the Holy Spirit¹²His winnowing fan is in his hand. And he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. And he will gather his wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

Sermon

In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the themes of hope, unity, and repentance. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a messianic future where justice and harmony reign, with even predators and prey living peacefully together. This vision is rooted in the promise of a leader from Jesse's lineage, who will bring about a world filled with the knowledge of God. The second reading from Romans emphasizes the unity of believers, encouraging us to accept one another as Christ has accepted us, highlighting the inclusive nature of God's mercy extended to all people. The Gospel from Matthew introduces John the Baptist, who calls people to repentance and prepares the way for Jesus, stressing the importance of producing fruit worthy of a life transformed by faith. These readings are interconnected in their focus on preparation and unity. Isaiah's vision of a harmonious world is a reminder of the ultimate hope we have in God's plan. Paul's letter to the Romans underscores that this hope is not just for individuals but for a unified body of believers, bound together by faith. John the Baptist's call to repentance in the Gospel serves as a practical step toward realizing this hope—by turning away from sin and turning toward God, we create space for the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to examine how we are preparing our hearts and lives for God's presence. Are we working toward unity and harmony in our relationships and communities? Are we bearing fruit that reflects a life of repentance and faith? The moral lesson here is clear: our faith must be active, leading us to live justly, love mercifully, and walk humbly with God. As we journey through this Advent season, let us embrace the call to repentance, strive for unity, and hold fast to the hope of God's transformative power in our lives.