Daily Readings for December 6, 2016

1ST READING

In the Book of Consolation, Isaiah prophesies that the people will return from exile and their lives will be blessed. As Christians, we understand this text as the promise of the Messiah and the call to prepare the way for the proclamation of the Good News. It will take hard work to follow Jesus, but every drop of sweat and blood will be worth it.

Isaiah 40:1-11

1 Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; indeed, she has received from the hand of the Lord double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! 4 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. 5 Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. 6 A voice says, “Cry out!” I answer, “What shall I cry out? All flesh is grass, and all their glory like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower wilts, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it. So then, the people is the grass. 8 Though the grass withers and the flower wilts, the word of our God stands forever.” 9 Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! 10 Here comes with power the Lord God, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. 11 Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care.

P S A L M

Psalm 96:1-2, 3, 10, 11-12, 13

R: The Lord our God comes with power.

1 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all you lands. 2 Sing to the Lord; bless his name; announce his salvation, day after day. (R) 3 Tell his glory among the nations; among all peoples, his wondrous deeds. 10 Say among the nations: the Lord is king; he governs the  peoples with equity. (R) 11 Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; 12 let the plains be joyful and all that is in them! Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice. (R) 13 They shall exult before the Lord, for he comes; for he comes to rule the earth. He shall rule the world with justice and the peoples with his constancy. (R)

GOSPEL

If we want to be true ministers of the Gospel, we need to have a heart like the Shepherd’s. The Good Shepherd does not only look after His sheep well – He wants everyone to be saved and to receive the gift of eternal life. Some may go astray because of the decisions they make, but the Good Shepherd will never give up on their salvation.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The day of the Lord is near: Behold, he comes to save us.

Matthew 18:12-14

12 Jesus said to his disciples: “What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? 13 And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. 14 In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”