This Week’s Gospel Message for Sunday, December 13th is from John 1:6-8, 19-28.
“A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. . .And this is the testimony of John . . . ‘I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, “make straight the way of the Lord,” as Isaiah the prophet said. . .I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.’”
“John tells the religious leaders that “there is one among you whom you do not recognize.” Throughout all of Jesus’ public ministry, many of these same leaders failed to recognize him. It is our challenge now to recognize him. Do we recognize him in the least of our brothers and sisters? Do we recognize him in our community, when two or three are gathered in his name? Do we recognize him in the Eucharist? Do we recognize him in times of difficulty and uncertainty?” Source: Pastoral Patterns, Winter 2020-2021
DAILY READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday Num 24:2-7, 15-17a; Matt 21:23-27
Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church (Memorial)/Carmelite Feast Day – “Born into poverty, John entered the Carmelites and was ordained. With St. Teresa of Avila, he helped reform his order and create the reformed (Discalced) Carmelites. But his reforms were opposed, and he was imprisoned for almost a year. His writings are both classics of spirituality and of Spanish literature. John pictured the spiritual life as a journey of the soul to divine union.
Tuesday Zeph 3:1-2, 9-13; Matt 21:28-32
Wednesday Isa 45:6c-8, 18, 21b-25; Luke 7:18b-23
Thursday Gen 49:2, 8-10; Matt 1:1-17
Friday Jer 23:5-8; Matt 1:18-25
Saturday Judges 13:2-7, 24-25a; Luke 1:5-25
Source: Living With Christ, December 2020