Daily Reading for Sunday, December 15th, 2013

There are times when I fail to remember how the Lord is faithful to his promises. I have been waiting and waiting and indeed I reached the point when I started wondering will things ever come to a hopeful transition? Every once in a while there is a temptation to give up and stop believing and hoping for what is good and beautiful. But reading the word of God keeps me grounded to the reality that he is there, alive, listening, always in control. He has sent John to prepare his way, to tell the people ahead of time that indeed he is coming. I guess I only need to prepare myself and be ready for the hopeful transition I have been praying for...

Reading 1, Isaiah 35:1-6, 10

1 Let the desert and the dry lands be glad, let the wasteland rejoice and bloom; like the asphodel,

2 let it burst into flower, let it rejoice and sing for joy. The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it, the splendour of Carmel and Sharon; then they will see the glory of Yahweh, the splendour of our God.

3 Strengthen all weary hands, steady all trembling knees

4 and say to the faint-hearted, 'Be strong! Do not be afraid. Here is your God, vengeance is coming, divine retribution; he is coming to save you.'

5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed,

6 then the lame will leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy; for water willgush in the desert and streams in the wastelands,

10 For those whom Yahweh has ransomed will return, they will come to Zion shouting for joy, their heads crowned with joy unending; rejoicing and gladness will escort them and sorrow and sighing will take flight.

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Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10

6 who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them. He keeps faith for ever,

7 gives justice to the oppressed, gives food to the hungry; Yahweh sets prisoners free.

8 Yahweh gives sight to the blind, lifts up those who are bowed down.

9 Yahweh protects the stranger, he sustains the orphan and the widow. Yahweh loves the upright,but he frustrates the wicked.

10 Yahweh reigns for ever, your God, Zion, from age to age.

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Gospel, Matthew 11:2-11

2 Now John had heard in prison what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him,

3 'Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect someone else?'

4 Jesus answered, 'Go back and tell John what you hear and see;

5 the blind see again, and the lame walk, those suffering from virulent skin-diseases are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life and the good news is proclaimed to the poor;

6 and blessed is anyone who does not find me a cause of falling.'

7 As the men were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John, 'What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No?

8 Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces.

9 Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet:

10 he is the one of whom scripture says: Look, I am going to send my messenger in front of you to prepare your way before you.

11 'In truth I tell you, of all the children born to women, there has never been anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

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Reading 2, James 5:7-10

7 Now be patient, brothers, until the Lord's coming. Think of a farmer: how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the ground until it has had the autumn rains and the spring rains!

8 You too must be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord's coming will be soon.

9 Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates.

10 For your example, brothers, in patiently putting up with persecution, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord's name;