Daily Readings - Sun Jan 10 2021

¹"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.²Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.³Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.⁴Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.⁵Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.⁶"Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;⁷let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.¹⁰"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,¹¹so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

1 John

Chapter 5

¹Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.²By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.³For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.⁴For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.⁵Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?⁶This is he who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.⁷For there are three that testify:⁸the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.⁹If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.

Mark

Chapter 1

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."⁹In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.¹⁰And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opening and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.¹¹And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the profound relationship between faith, trust, and the divine plan. The first reading from Isaiah offers a beautiful invitation to turn to God, emphasizing that His ways and thoughts are far greater than ours. Isaiah urges us to seek the Lord while He is near, promising that His word will accomplish its purpose, much like the rain and snow that nourish the earth. This reading reminds us of God’s generosity and the transformative power of His word in our lives. The second reading from 1 John deepens this theme by highlighting the victory of faith. John reminds us that everyone who believes in Jesus as the Son of God is born of God and overcomes the world. Love for God is not just a feeling but is expressed through keeping His commandments, which are not burdensome. John also emphasizes the testimony of the Spirit, water, and blood, affirming the truth of who Jesus is. This reading calls us to live out our faith with confidence and love, trusting in God’s testimony over the fleeting opinions of the world. In the Gospel, Mark describes the baptism of Jesus, where the Holy Spirit descends upon Him, and the Father declares His delight in His beloved Son. This passage reveals the profound truth of Jesus’ identity and mission. John the Baptist humbly acknowledges his role as a precursor, pointing to the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. This moment of revelation invites us to reflect on our own baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Just as Jesus was affirmed by the Father, we too are beloved children of God, called to live out our faith with humility and trust. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Do we truly trust in God’s plan, even when it seems beyond our understanding? Are we living out our faith with love and obedience to His commandments? Let us seek the Lord while He is near, allowing His word to nourish us and transform us. May we, like Jesus, be open to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, and may we humbly point others to the One who is the Truth. In doing so, we will find the victory that overcomes the world—the victory of faith, love, and trust in God.