READING OF THE DAY
A 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.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Luke
LK 10:21-24
Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
Tuesday of the First Week of Advent – (Luke 10:21-24)
The Word of God for Us
Dear people of God,
The Word of God in today’s Gospel recounts how Jesus, moved by the Holy Spirit, appealed to God the Father to save all souls. God revealed: The Holy Trinity is one God and in the saving work of Jesus, there is always the unity of God the Father and the Holy Spirit, working together to carry out the salvation of mankind.
God the Father let humanity know: The three Persons of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, are united, never separate, in all things. Through the unity of the Holy Trinity, God also wants humanity to be united with the Holy Trinity in His work of salvation. God wants to teach everyone: When embarking on life’s path, pray to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Ask the Holy Trinity to illuminate and reveal the will that God wants to teach, thus enabling a close union in the love of the Holy Trinity.
God reveals to mankind the strength and power of God, as well as lets the little ones know about the will of God the Father. God the Father did not reveal Himself to the wise but revealed to the little ones. Thereby, God wants to teach people: In order to recognize and receive the will of God the Father and receive the mystery of the Kingdom, man must become small and lowly. Man must become simple and keep an open heart in order to receive the Word of God’s power and strength, to receive His will, and from there to obey God the Father’s commandment. Those with high authority and wisdom, who consider themselves to be knowledgeable, do not open their hearts and do not receive the Word of God’s strength and power into their hearts.
Therefore, God invites everyone: Stay awake to listen to and practice the word of God. Be humble, small, simple, and low before God the Father, so that God may give you strength and power to receive His love and mercy. Only God’s mercy can save human souls from Satan’s captivity.
God loves all mankind, He does not want to lose a single soul. Therefore, He invites all mankind to always listen to and accept the word of God in their heart; practice the word commanded by God. Live in love, charity, forgiveness, and sacrifice. Be just, and run to God; love God above all else, and love your neighbor as yourself. By following these precepts, a person will be in the bosom of God the Father when He is called out of the world.
Thanks Be to God. Amen.
