Daily Readings - Sun Dec 08 2019
Isaiah
1And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:2And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;3And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:4But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.5And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.7And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.10And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Romans
4For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.5Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:6That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.7Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.8Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:9And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
Matthew
1In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.3For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.4And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,6And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?8Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:9And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.10And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.11I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:12Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the themes of hope, unity, and repentance. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a messianic future where justice and harmony reign, with even predators and prey living peacefully together. This vision is rooted in the promise of a leader from Jesse's lineage, who will bring about a world filled with the knowledge of God. The second reading from Romans emphasizes the unity of believers, encouraging us to accept one another as Christ has accepted us, highlighting the inclusive nature of God's mercy extended to all people. The Gospel from Matthew introduces John the Baptist, who calls people to repentance and prepares the way for Jesus, stressing the importance of producing fruit worthy of a life transformed by faith.
These readings are interconnected in their focus on preparation and unity. Isaiah's vision of a harmonious world is a reminder of the ultimate hope we have in God's plan. Paul's letter to the Romans underscores that this hope is not just for individuals but for a unified body of believers, bound together by faith. John the Baptist's call to repentance in the Gospel serves as a practical step toward realizing this hope—by turning away from sin and turning toward God, we create space for the Holy Spirit to work in our lives.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to examine how we are preparing our hearts and lives for God's presence. Are we working toward unity and harmony in our relationships and communities? Are we bearing fruit that reflects a life of repentance and faith? The moral lesson here is clear: our faith must be active, leading us to live justly, love mercifully, and walk humbly with God. As we journey through this Advent season, let us embrace the call to repentance, strive for unity, and hold fast to the hope of God's transformative power in our lives.