Daily Readings - Sun Dec 06 2020

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

2 Peter

Chapter 3

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

Mark

Chapter 1

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

The readings today invite us to reflect on preparation, patience, and the call to live with purpose. In Isaiah, we hear a message of comfort and hope, urging us to prepare the way for the Lord, where every valley is lifted and every mountain lowered, symbolizing a world made level for God’s glory. In 2 Peter, we are reminded of God’s patience and the promise of a new heavens and earth, encouraging us to live holy and blameless lives as we await His day. The Gospel introduces John the Baptist, who, in humility, prepares the way for Jesus, baptizing with water and heralding the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. These readings are interconnected through the theme of preparation and waiting. Isaiah’s call to prepare the way is fulfilled in John the Baptist’s ministry, while 2 Peter’s emphasis on holy living underscores the ongoing nature of our preparation. Just as John prepared the people for Jesus’ arrival, we too are called to prepare our hearts and lives for God’s presence, trusting in His timing and promises. In our daily lives, this means embracing humility and repentance, much like John’s example. We are to live with patience and holiness, recognizing that our time is not God’s time. As we navigate life’s challenges, let us remember to stay grounded in faith, preparing our hearts for the Lord’s work within us. The moral lesson here is clear: our lives should be a testament to God’s presence, lived with purpose and trust in His plan. Let us, like John, humbly prepare the way for the Lord in our hearts and in the world around us.