Daily Readings - Sun Dec 10 2017

¹Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.²Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.³A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.⁴Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.⁵And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."⁹You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!"¹⁰See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.¹¹He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

2 Peter

Chapter 3

⁸But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.⁹The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.¹⁰But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.¹¹Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives¹²as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.¹³But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.¹⁴So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

Mark

Chapter 1

¹The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.²It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way"--³"a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'"⁴And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.⁵The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.⁶John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.⁷And this was his message: "After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.⁸I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Sermon

In today’s readings, we hear a powerful message of preparation, hope, and transformation. The first reading from Isaiah offers words of comfort to a people in exile, urging them to prepare for the coming of the Lord who will bring justice and peace. The prophet describes a God who tends to his people with the care of a shepherd, gathering the lambs in his arms. This passage reminds us that even in times of darkness, God’s promise of redemption is always near. The second reading from 2 Peter shifts our gaze to the future, reminding us that the Lord’s timing is not our own. While we wait for the day of the Lord, we are called to live holy and blameless lives, trusting in God’s patience and mercy. Finally, the Gospel from Mark introduces John the Baptist, the voice crying out in the wilderness, calling people to repentance and baptism. John’s humility and clarity of purpose point us to the One who is to come, Jesus Christ, who will baptize us with the Holy Spirit. These readings are deeply connected, as they all point to the need for preparation and conversion. Isaiah prepares our hearts for the comfort of God’s presence, 2 Peter calls us to live with purpose as we await the Lord’s return, and Mark’s Gospel shows us how John the Baptist modeled repentance and humility as he prepared the way for Jesus. Together, they remind us that our faith is not static; it requires ongoing conversion and a willingness to be transformed by God’s grace. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How are we preparing our hearts and lives for the Lord’s presence? Are we living with the humility and repentance that John the Baptist exemplified? Are we trusting in God’s timing, even when the world around us seems uncertain? Let us take up the call to holiness, knowing that God is always near, guiding us and tending to us with the care of a shepherd. May we, like John, point others to Christ, and may our lives be a testament to the transformative power of his love.