Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 12, 2025
First Reading: Isaiah 40.1-5, 9-11
1Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.2Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.3The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.4Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:5And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.9O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!10Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.11He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Psalm 104
1Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.2Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:3Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:4Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:5Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.6Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.7At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.8They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.9Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.10He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.11They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.12By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.13He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.14He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;15And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.16The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;17Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.18The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.19He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.20Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.21The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.22The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.23Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.24O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.25So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.26There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.27These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.28That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.29Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.30Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.31The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.32He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.33I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.34My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.35Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.
Second Reading: Titus 2.11-14; 3.4-7
11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;14Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
4But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Gospel: Luke 3.15-16, 21-22
15And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;16John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:21Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,22And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
Sermon
**Sermon Based on the Readings**
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the themes of preparation, grace, and the transformative power of God’s presence in our lives. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a message of comfort and hope directed to a people in exile. The prophet calls for the preparation of a way for the Lord, symbolizing the clearing of spiritual pathways for God’s arrival. This text, written during a time of despair, offers assurance that God’s mercy and forgiveness are forthcoming, urging the people to ready their hearts for His coming.
The second reading from Titus shifts our focus to the manifestation of God’s grace through Jesus Christ. Titus emphasizes that God’s grace is not merely a future hope but a present reality that transforms us. This grace calls us to live virtuously, rejecting worldly desires and embracing a life of justice and piety. The reading reminds us that our salvation is not through our own efforts but through God’s mercy and the regenerative power of the Holy Spirit.
The Gospel from Luke beautifully ties these themes together. John the Baptist, recognizing his role as a precursor to Jesus, humbly acknowledges the limitations of his baptism with water. The baptism of Jesus, accompanied by the descent of the Holy Spirit and the voice of the Father, signifies the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy and the outpouring of Titus’s grace. This event is a powerful reminder of God’s love and our adoption as His children.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to prepare our hearts for God’s presence, much like Isaiah’s call to clear the way. We are invited to trust in God’s grace, as Titus reminds us, and to live out our faith in actions that reflect His love. Just as Jesus’s baptism marked the beginning of His mission, our own baptism calls us to a life of service and holiness. May we, like the people in the Gospel, open our hearts to the Holy Spirit, allowing God’s transformative grace to shape us anew.