Daily Readings - Sun Dec 13 2020

¹The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to bring good news to the meek, so as to heal the contrite of heart, to preach leniency to captives and release to the confined²and so to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vindication of our God: to console all who are mourning¹⁰I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, and my soul will exult in my God. For he has clothed me with the vestments of salvation, and he has wrapped me in the clothing of justice, like a groom arrayed with a crown, and like a bride adorned with her jewels¹¹For as the earth brings forth its seedlings and the garden produces its seeds, so will the Lord God bring forth justice and praise in the sight of all the nations

1 Thessalonians

Chapter 5

¹⁶Rejoice always¹⁷Pray without ceasing¹⁸Give thanks in everything. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for all of you¹⁹Do not choose to extinguish the Spirit²⁰Do not spurn prophecies²¹But test all things. Hold on to whatever is good²²Abstain from every kind of evil²³And may the God of peace himself sanctify you through all things, so that your whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved without blame unto the return of our Lord Jesus Christ²⁴He who has called you is faithful. He shall act even now

John

Chapter 1

⁶There was a man sent by God, whose name was John⁷He arrived as a witness to offer testimony about the Light, so that all would believe through him⁸He was not the Light, but he was to offer testimony about the Light¹⁹And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to him, so that they might ask him, "Who are you?²⁰And he confessed it and did not deny it; and what he confessed was: "I am not the Christ.²¹And they questioned him: "Then what are you? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No.²²Therefore, they said to him: "Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?²³He said, "I am a voice crying out in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ just as the prophet Isaiah said.²⁴And some of those who had been sent were from among the Pharisees²⁵And they questioned him and said to him, "Then why do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the Prophet?²⁶John answered them by saying: "I baptize with water. But in your midst stands one, whom you do not know²⁷The same is he who is to come after me, who has been placed ahead of me, the laces of whose shoes I am not worthy to loosen.²⁸These things happened in Bethania, across the Jordan, where John was baptizing

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages that guide us on our spiritual journey. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of the anointed one, tasked with bringing hope and justice to a world in need. This prophecy, fulfilled in Jesus, reminds us of the transformative power of God's presence in our lives. The second reading from Thessalonians encourages us to embrace a life of joy, prayer, and gratitude, trusting in God's will and avoiding anything that might dampen our spiritual fervor. Here, Paul underscores the importance of living faithfully, even amidst challenges. The Gospel introduces John the Baptist, a humble figure who prepares the way for the Messiah. John's role is not to seek glory but to point others to the Light, Jesus Christ. His humility and focus on his mission serve as a model for us, reminding us to stay grounded and purposeful in our own lives. Connecting these readings, we see a common thread of purpose and humility. Isaiah's prophecy, John's preparatory role, and Paul's exhortation all point to a life lived with intention and faith. In our daily lives, this means embracing our roles with humility, trusting in God's plan, and maintaining joy and gratitude. The moral lesson here is clear: we are called to live with purpose, pointing others to God through our actions and attitudes, just as John the Baptist did. May we, like John, find joy in preparing the way for the Lord, trusting in His plan and living faithfully each day.