Catholic Daily Reading + Reflection: 6 December 2020 Conversion And New World – Make Straight The Paths Of The Lord
Readings at Mass for Sunday December 6, 2020
Second Sunday of Advent Year B
Vestment: Violet
Today’s Rosary: The Glorious Mystery
Theme of the Sunday: Conversion and New World. In the first reading, the prophet invites the people of Israel, exiled in Babylon, to prepare to welcome the Lord who is coming to free them. Their slavery is about to end. God will save them, but on their part, they must welcome this liberation, cross the desert and begin a new life in a new land. The Gospel continues this same theme. Another prophet invites Israel to conversion so that the Messiah may manifest himself and a new world may begin. The second reading tells us that when we speak of the coming of the Lord we should not merely be looking for a date for the end of the world, but rather we must welcome the Lord who comes to create a new world.
Entrance Antiphon cf.Is30:19.30
O people of Zion, behold, the Lord will come to save the nations, and the Lord will make the glory of his voice heard in the joy of your heart.
Collect
Almighty and merciful God, may no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son, but may our learning of heavenly wisdom gain us admittance to his company. Who lives and reigns with you ……..
FIRST READING
“Prepare the way of the Lord.”
A reading from the Book of Isaiah ( Isaiah 40: 1-5.9-11)
Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms, he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps85:9aband10.11-12.13-14(R.8)
R/. Let us see, O Lord, your mercy and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what the Lord God speaks;
He speaks of peace for his people and his faithful,
His salvation is near for those who fear him,
And his glory will dwell in our land. R.
Merciful love and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have kissed.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth,
and justice look down from heaven. R.
Also the LORD will bestow his bounty,
and our earth shall yield its increase.
Justice will march before him,
And guide his steps on the way. R.
SECOND READING
“We wait for new heavens and a new earth.”
A reading from the second Letter of Saint Peter (2 Peter 3:8-14)
Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing towards you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burnt up. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire! But according to his promise we wait. For new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you wait for these, be zealous to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.
The word of the Lord.
ALLELUIA Luke 3:4.6
Alleluia. Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight; all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“Make straight the paths of the Lord.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark I: 1-8)
The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, and had a leather belt around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
Prepare a way for the Lord
PRIEST:
My brothers and sisters, God our Father is always faithful to his promises, and he has promised us through Jesus Christ, that there will be a new kingdom. Let us pray in this season of preparation, to make ourselves ready for that kingdom.
READER:
For God’s Church, the Bride of Christ, (Pause) May she prepare herself, through her leaders and people, by holiness of life, in prayer and fasting, for the coming of God’s kingdom on earth. (Pause) We pray to the Lord, Lord hear our prayer we pray Oh Lord.
For the rulers of the countries in our world, (pause) may they promote justice for everyone, seek truth in all difficult negotiations and work for peace and love among the nations (pause) We pray to the Lord, Lord hear our prayer we pray Oh Lord.
For those who find the burden of life almost too hard to bear, (pause) may they be consoled by the Lord who speaks to their hearts his Gospel message of hope and love. Pause We pray to the Lord, Lord hear our prayer we pray Oh Lord.
For the salvation of the world, and for those who have not yet heard God’s saving word, (pause) may we, like John the Baptist, prepare a way for the Lord into their minds and hearts Pause We pray to the Lord, Lord hear our prayer we pray Oh Lord.
PRIEST:
In silence, we ask God to answer our petition for our needs.
Father, you have prepared a place for us in your kingdom. May we also prepare a place for you In every aspect of our daily lives. Through Christ our Lord Amen
Today’s Reflection
While the people of Israel were in exile in Babylon, Isaiah came with a message of hope and restoration. The instruction to make the path in the wilderness straight and to level up all the valleys would be meaningful to the people since the route between Babylon and Jerusalem is full of rough and crooked paths, hills and valleys. So, if the promised journey to restoration would be a smooth one, these hazards needs to be taken care of. Yet, Isaiah was pointing to something more than physical deserts, the wilderness and the valleys. He was talking about their spiritual state. We need to make ourselves clean so that when the Lord comes, we shall be ready to accept him. Remember that we do not know when the Lord would come. Hence, St Peter encourages us to stop calculating the dates and concentrate more on living good lives. The best way to wait for the Lord is by living holy lives. Assuming the second coming happens now, would you be found ready?
Personal Devotional,
MY SPIRITUAL CHECK-UP IN ADVENT
Thank you for checking-in, today for your Spiritual Cheek-up.
There is no better time than now to have a spiritual cheek-up for our souls as we prepare for the coming of Our Lord this Advent Season. The idea behind this exercise is to re-examine ourselves, and make amends with God and put ourselves alright with Him.
When you go through this, remember it is designed to expose grey areas in our souls. This SPIRITUAL CHECK-UP IS ABSOLUTELY FREE unlike your medical cheek-up.
This exercise will be within the four Sundays of Advent, kindly avail yourself and your family of this opportunity.
USE THE FOLLOWING LISTS AS GUIDE TO EXAMINE YOUR LIFE BEFORE THE LORD. Please, take each one slowly and meditate on it carefully.
LYING – “Any designed form of deception for selfish reasons”. If you design to make an impression contrary to the naked truth, you have lied. Have you been deceitful? (Rev. 21:8)
SLANDER – Speaking evil of someone. You do not have to lie to slander. Have you talked about someone behind their back in a way you would not be willing to before their face? Malicious gossip – telling the truth with intent to hurt or injure is slander. Are you guilty of backbiting or criticism? (Matt. 7:1-5; I Cor. 5:12; Col.3:8; Matt. 5:21-24)
CENSORIOUSNESS – Have you spoken about others without love? Did you judge, think or say the worst thing about a person in a situation you knew? (Jn. 7:24; I Cor.4:1-7; Gal. 6:1)
Action Test
MEDICATION OR SURGERY NEEDED?
Note that, “If we confess our sins, He is FAITHFUL and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”(1 Jn. 1:9) Will you go to your gracious and loving Father as a little child and humbly ask His forgiveness?
The LORD is merciful and gracious…He has not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities; “For as the heaven is above the earth, so great is His mercy towards them that fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.” (Ps. 103:12)
Let Us Pray (Please go down on your kneels and pray for forgiveness)
“Oh God, You know my foolishness, and my sin is not concealed from You…please pardon my iniquity, for it is great…If you, Lord, would mark iniquities, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.” (Ps. 69:5; 25:11; 130:3-4) look with pity on me, your humble servant, and have mercy in Jesus name.
Mary my dearest mother pray to Jesus for me.