Daily Readings - Sun Dec 17 2023

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 profound messages that guide us in our spiritual journey. The first reading from Isaiah presents a prophet anointed by the Spirit to bring good news to the afflicted and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. This passage, rooted in the context of Israel’s hope for redemption, highlights the Messiah’s mission to heal and restore. The second reading from Thessalonians encourages believers to embrace joy, constant prayer, and gratitude, while being open to the Spirit’s guidance. This epistle, written by Paul, emphasizes living faithfully and avoiding evil, trusting in God’s faithfulness. The Gospel features John the Baptist, who humbly testifies to Jesus as the Light, preparing the way for the Lord without seeking glory for himself. These readings are intricately connected, each pointing to Jesus as the source of our joy and mission. Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus, who embodies the Spirit’s anointing to bring salvation. John the Baptist’s role is to prepare the way for Jesus, illustrating humility and purpose. Thessalonians teaches us to live in the Spirit, which aligns with the mission and joy found in the other readings. Together, they remind us that our lives should reflect the Light of Christ, lived with humility and openness to the Spirit. Applying these teachings to our daily lives, we are called to live with joy and gratitude, embracing the Spirit’s guidance. Our mission is to point others to Christ, not seeking to be the center of attention but to serve and prepare the way for others to encounter Jesus. This requires humility and a willingness to let our lives be a testament to His presence. The moral lesson is clear: we are to live with joy, humility, and openness to the Spirit, using our lives to serve and direct others to Christ. Let us strive to embody these virtues, allowing His Light to shine through us.