Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17

Second Sunday of Advent – (Mt 3:1-12) – God’s Word for Us

Daily Gospel

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17

READING OF THE DAY

First reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah
Is 11:1-10

On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom.
The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him:
a spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
a spirit of counsel and of strength,
a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD,
and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD.
Not by appearance shall he judge,
nor by hearsay shall he decide,
but he shall judge the poor with justice,
and decide aright for the land’s afflicted.
He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.
Justice shall be the band around his waist,
and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.
Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down with the kid;
the calf and the young lion shall browse together,
with a little child to guide them.
The cow and the bear shall be neighbors,
together their young shall rest;
the lion shall eat hay like the ox.
The baby shall play by the cobra’s den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair.
There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the LORD,
as water covers the sea.
On that day, the root of Jesse,
set up as a signal for the nations,
the Gentiles shall seek out,
for his dwelling shall be glorious.

Second reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans
Rom 15:4-9

Brothers and sisters:
Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction,
that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures
we might have hope.
May the God of endurance and encouragement
grant you to think in harmony with one another,
in keeping with Christ Jesus,
that with one accord you may with one voice
glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you,
for the glory of God.
For I say that Christ became a minister of the circumcised
to show God’s truthfulness,
to confirm the promises to the patriarchs,
but so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.
As it is written:
Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles
and sing praises to your name.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 3:1-12

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said:
A voice of one crying out in the desert,
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair
and had a leather belt around his waist.
His food was locusts and wild honey.
At that time Jerusalem, all Judea,
and the whole region around the Jordan
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.

When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees
coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers!
Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.
And do not presume to say to yourselves,
‘We have Abraham as our father.’
For I tell you,
God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.
Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
I am baptizing you with water, for repentance,
but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I.
I am not worthy to carry his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand.
He will clear his threshing floor
and gather his wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Jesus, I trust in You!
Jesus, I trust in You!

Second Sunday of Advent

(Mt 3:1-12)

God’s Word for Us

Dear people of God,

The Word of God today recounts how John the Baptist called people to repentance, to wait for the day when God would come to earth to save mankind.

  God the Father loves all people in this world. He does not exclude any human being from the loving embrace of God the Father. Therefore, He sent messengers ahead to prepare the way for the Savior to come to earth and bring salvation to mankind. John the Baptist is the embodiment of the former Elijah. He came to urge people to repent, to turn from their sins and to return to God the Father. God the Father invites everyone to sincerely repent, bear fruit in good works, live and follow the Words that God the Father sends to mankind through His messengers. These messengers are an example for people to follow, that is, to live righteously with charity and love, and to sincerely repent of their sins, to open their hearts to receive the light of God.  These things always bring happiness and peace to mankind.

  In God’s Word for today, God wants to come to humanity so that humanity can open its heart to receive the Son of God Himself into their hearts. As in the past, people waited for the Savior to come to free them from the yoke of domination imposed by the world. In today’s world, God the Father invites everyone to repent of their sins, to follow God’s light, and to prepare their hearts to welcome the Savior. So, prepare your heart to wait for the day when God comes to call your own soul and body out of the world. 

 God loves humanity and repeats His word to all mankind: Urge your heart to repent, and bear fruit through good works so that God the Father Himself may enter your heart. And when God the Father dwells in someone’s heart, that person’s soul will be happy and at peace in the love of God the Father. Just as God the Father loves humanity, so humanity must love its fellow human beings. It is a call from God the Father placed on humanity to love God above all else and to love one’s neighbor as oneself.

 Thanks Be to God. Amen.

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