Daily Readings - Sun Dec 03 2017
Isaiah
16For you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us; you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.17O LORD, why do you make us wander from your ways and harden our heart, so that we fear you not? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your heritage.
1Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence--3When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.4From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.5You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?6We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.7There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.8But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.
1 Corinthians
3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.4I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,5that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge--6even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you--7so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,8who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.9God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Mark
33Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.34It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.35Therefore stay awake--for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the cock crows, or in the morning--36lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.37And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter a common theme of preparation and trust in God's plan. The first reading from Isaiah is a heartfelt plea for God's return, acknowledging the people's sinfulness and their inability to be righteous without Him. The reading expresses a deep longing for redemption and a recognition of human frailty.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians shifts focus to the present, where Paul thanks God for the grace bestowed upon the Corinthians. He highlights their enrichment through Christ, emphasizing that they lack no spiritual gift as they await Christ's return. This serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and the abundance of His grace in our lives.
The Gospel from Mark ties these themes together with Jesus' call to vigilance. Using the parable of the servants awaiting their master, Jesus underscores the importance of being prepared for His return at any moment. This call to watchfulness is not about fear but about living mindfully, rooted in faith and trust in God's timing.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to embrace a posture of readiness and gratitude. We are called to acknowledge our need for God, to trust in His faithfulness, and to remain spiritually alert. May we live each day with hearts open to His grace, ever-prepared to meet Him, whether in our personal journeys or in His ultimate return.