Daily Readings - Sun Dec 06 2020
Isaiah
1Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.3A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.4Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.5And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."9Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"10Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.11He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
2 Peter
8But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.9The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.11Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,12waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!13But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.14Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.
Mark
1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.2As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way,3the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'"4John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.5And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.6Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.7And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.8I have baptized you with water, but 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.