Daily Readings - Mon Jan 08 2018
First Reading - Isaiah 55.1-11
Isaiah
1Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.4Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.5Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.6Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith 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.10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Gospel - Mark 1.7-11
Mark
7And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.8I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.9And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.10And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:11And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound invitations to embrace God’s grace and recognize His divine plan. The passage from Isaiah extends a heartfelt invitation to all who thirst, urging them to seek spiritual nourishment from God. It emphasizes His mercy and the transformative power of His word, which always accomplishes its purpose. In contrast, the Gospel of Mark presents John the Baptist’s humble acknowledgment of Jesus as the mightier one, followed by the baptism of Jesus, where the Holy Spirit descends, and God declares Jesus His beloved Son.
These readings, though from different contexts, beautifully intertwine. Isaiah’s call to repentance and trust in God’s mercy finds fulfillment in Mark’s narrative of Jesus, who embodies God’s grace and brings the Holy Spirit. Both texts highlight the theme of divine invitation and the effectiveness of God’s word. Isaiah’s message of hope and forgiveness is realized in Jesus, who through His baptism, inaugurates a new era of God’s presence among His people.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to seek God’s grace with humility and openness. Just as John the Baptist recognized his role in God’s plan, we too can acknowledge our need for God’s Spirit. Let us trust in His divine plan, embracing our role as beloved children of God, and live in the confidence of His love and mercy. May we, like the Israelites, turn to God, and may our souls be delighted by the fullness of His presence.