Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 8, 2019
First Reading: Isaiah 11.1-10
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.
Psalm 72
1Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.2He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.3The mountains will bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness.4He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.5He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations.6He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.7In his days the righteous will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is no more.8He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.9The desert tribes will bow before him and his enemies will lick the dust.10The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts.11All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him.12For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.13He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death.14He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.15Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long.16Let grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon; let it thrive like the grass of the field.17May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.18Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.19Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.20This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
Second Reading: Romans 15.4-9
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."
Gospel: Matthew 3.1-12
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.