Daily Readings - Sun Dec 08 2019

¹A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.²The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD -³and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;⁴but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.⁵Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.⁶The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.⁷The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.⁸The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.⁹They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.¹⁰In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.

Romans

Chapter 15

⁴For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.⁵May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,⁶so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.⁷Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.⁸For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs⁹so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name."

Matthew

Chapter 3

¹In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea²and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."³This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'"⁴John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.⁵People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.⁶Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?⁸Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.⁹And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.¹⁰The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.¹¹"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.¹²His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning 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.