Daily Readings - Sun Dec 05 2021
Baruch
1" ‘Take off, O Jerusalem, the garment of your sorrow and troubles, and put on your beauty and the honor of that eternal glory, which you have from God2God will surround you with a double garment of justice, and he will set a crown on your head of everlasting honor3For God will reveal his splendor in you to all who are under heaven4For your name will be given to you by God for eternity: the peace of justice and the honor of piety5Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand in exaltation, and look around towards the east, and see your sons, gathering together, from the rising of the sun to the setting of the sun, by the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the remembrance of God6For they went out from you on foot, led by the enemies, but the Lord will lead them to you, being carried in honor like sons of the kingdom7For God has resolved to humble every high mountain and the longstanding cliffs, and to fill up the steep valleys in order to level the ground, so that Israel may walk diligently in the honor of God8Yet the woods and every sweet-smelling tree have provided shade for Israel by the commandment of God9For God will lead Israel with joy into the light of his majesty, with mercy and justice, which is from him.’
Philippians
3I give thanks to my God, with every remembrance of you4always, in all my prayers, making supplication for all of you with joy5because of your communion in the Gospel of Christ, from the first day even until now6I am confident of this very thing: that he who has begun this good work in you will perfect it, unto the day of Christ Jesus8For God is my witness how, within the heart of Jesus Christ, I long for all of you9And this I pray: that your charity may abound more and more, with knowledge and with all understanding10so that you may be confirmed in what is better, in order that you may be sincere and without offense on the day of Christ11filled with the fruit of justice, through Jesus Christ, in the glory and praise of God
Luke
1Then, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being procurator of Judea, and Herod tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene2under the high priests Annas and Caiaphas: the word of the Lord came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness3And he went into the entire region of the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins4just as it has been written in the book of the sermons of the prophet Isaiah: "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight his paths5Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low. And what is crooked shall be made straight. And the rough paths shall be made into level ways6And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through themes of hope, assurance, and preparation, weaving a narrative from the Old Testament to the New. The first reading from Baruch paints a vivid picture of Jerusalem shedding sorrow and donning eternal glory, with God's promise of justice and honor. This post-exilic text speaks to a people yearning for restoration, envisioning a future where the scattered return, guided by God's light. The second reading from Philippians shifts focus to the present, with Paul expressing gratitude and confidence in God's ongoing work in the Philippians. He prays for their growth in charity and understanding, assuring them of spiritual completion.
The Gospel from Luke introduces John the Baptist, whose call to repentance and baptism echoes Isaiah's prophecy of preparing the Lord's way. This historical setting underscores the universal call to ready our hearts, leveling spiritual valleys and straightening crooked paths.
These readings intertwine beautifully, each addressing preparation and trust. Baruch's hope for Jerusalem's restoration mirrors the spiritual preparation John advocates, while Paul's assurance in God's work reflects the trust needed as we navigate our faith journeys.
In our daily lives, these themes call us to trust in God's plan and actively prepare our hearts. Just as Jerusalem awaited restoration and the Philippians trusted in God's work, we too can have faith in His guidance. Let us embrace repentance, live justly, and trust in God's promise to complete His work in us. As we prepare our hearts, may we walk in His light, ever ready for His glory.