Daily Readings - Mon Jan 08 2024
First Reading - Isaiah 55.1-11 or 1 John 5.1-9
Isaiah
1"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.2Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.3Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.4See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples.5Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor."6Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.7Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.8"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.9"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.10As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,11so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
1 John
1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.2This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.3This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.6This is the one who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.7For there are three that testify:8the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.9We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.
Mark
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."9At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.10As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.11And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
Sermon
The first reading from Isaiah invites us to reflect on God’s abundant mercy and the call to trust in His providence. In a time of exile and hardship for the people of Israel, Isaiah offers a message of hope and renewal. He urges the people to turn away from their own limited ways of thinking and to seek the Lord, who is always near and ready to forgive. The passage reminds us that God’s ways are far greater than ours, and His word is powerful, accomplishing all that He wills. It is an invitation to humility and faith, encouraging us to rely on God’s goodness rather than our own understanding.
The Gospel from Mark presents a pivotal moment in the life of Jesus: His baptism by John in the Jordan River. John’s humility shines through as he acknowledges his unworthiness before the one who is to come. Jesus’ baptism is not just a ritual but a revelation of His divine identity. The heavens open, the Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and the Father’s voice affirms Jesus as His beloved Son. This event marks the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry and reminds us of the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Just as Jesus was anointed with the Spirit, we too are called to live in the Spirit and to bear witness to God’s love.
Together, these readings call us to trust in God’s plan and to open ourselves to His grace. Isaiah reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways, and Mark shows us that Jesus’ humility and openness to the Spirit are the keys to living a life of purpose and love. In our daily lives, we are invited to let go of our own limited perspectives and to seek the Lord with humility. May we, like John, recognize our need for God and, like Jesus, embrace the Spirit who empowers us to live as children of God. Let us turn to the Lord with hearts ready to receive His mercy and His love.