Daily Bible Reading - December 8, 2020

 

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1st READING 

Today’s reading allows us to see the seeds of salvation. The image of the woman’s offspring overcoming the devil is Jesus defeating sin and death by His death and resurrection. Our challenge is to accept God’s long-term commitment to the work of salvation. He did not give up on us—this is the story of His relationship with us. Let us pray for the grace to be committed and grateful for His work in us.

Genesis 3:9-15, 20 

⁹ After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree, the Lord God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?” ¹⁰ He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” ¹¹ Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!” ¹² The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me—she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.” ¹³ The Lord God then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.” ¹⁴ Then the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; on your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life. ¹⁵ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.” ²⁰ The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.

PSALM

Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

R: Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.

¹ Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) ² The Lord has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. ³ He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. ⁴ Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R)

2nd READING 

 

St. Paul affirms that God’s plan for our salvation has existed from the moment we sinned. He does not seek revenge nor hold grudges. He does what love invites us to do—forgive and move on in our relationship with one another. God’s forgiveness is absolute. We are still working toward this level of forgiveness in our relationships. Let us be inspired to forgive others just as He has forgiven us.

Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12 

³ Brothers and sisters: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, ⁴ as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love ⁵ he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, ⁶ for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. ¹¹ In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, ¹² so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ.

GOSPEL

Mary doesn’t know the anguish she would experience in the future. She doesn’t know that her Son would die a horrific death on the cross. Her obedience to God’s will began even before her conception, as God chose her to be the mother of His Son. Let us reflect on the Immaculate Conception of Mary where God chose a human being to bear the Savior of the world. Let us remember this honor given to the human race and thank Mary who carried this gift so well.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.

Luke 1:26-38

²⁶ The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹ But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” ³⁴ But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” ³⁵ And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. ³⁶ And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; ³⁷ for nothing will be impossible for God.” ³⁸ Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. 

Reflect: “For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is His name.” – Luke 1:46-49

______________________________    

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST 

thank You, Lord, for: 

____________________  

                                          

Read the Bible in one year - Daniel 1-3 

Daily Bible Reading - December 7, 2020

 

1st READING 

God brings the desert to life. There is an abundance of color and life in the desert of the north and east of Perth every spring. Wildflowers outdo one another in an outburst of color for the glory of the Lord. The desert is literally carpeted by colors. This is what God’s power can do—the impossible.

Isaiah 35:1-10

¹ The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. ² They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song. The glory of Lebanon will be given to them, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. ³ Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, ⁴ say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you. ⁵ Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; ⁶ then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the dumb will sing. Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe. ⁷ The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water; the abode where jackals lurk will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus. ⁸ A highway will be there, called the holy way; no one unclean may pass over it, nor fools go astray on it. ⁹ No lion will be there, nor beast of prey go up to be met upon it. It is for those with a journey to make, and on it the redeemed will walk. ¹⁰ Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.

PSALM

Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14

R: Our God will come to save us.

⁹ I will hear what God proclaims; the Lord—for he proclaims peace to his people. ¹⁰ Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. (R) ¹¹ Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. 1² Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. (R) ¹³ The Lord himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. ¹⁴ Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps. (R) 

GOSPEL

Forgiveness is a greater miracle than the healing of paralysis. The physical realities silence the cries of our spirits. Part of discernment is learning to listen to our spirit so we can also attend to these realities and the more immediate physical ones. Let us allow Jesus to remind us of the importance of reflecting on the spiritual realities and be attentive to them.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Behold the king will come, the Lord of the earth, and he himself will lift the yoke of our captivity.

Luke 5:17-26

¹⁷ One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem were sitting there, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. ¹⁸ And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. ¹⁹ But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. ²⁰ When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” ²¹ Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” ²² Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? ²³ Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? ²⁴ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the one who was paralyzed, “I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” ²⁵ He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. ²⁶ Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”

Reflect: “If our greatest need had been money, then God would have sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, then He sent us a Savior.” – Max Lucado

______________________________    

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST 

thank You, Lord, for: 

____________________  

                                          

Read the Bible in one year - Ezekiel 45-48 

Daily Bible Reading - December 6, 2020

Second SUNday of Advent

1st READING 

I remember getting struck by Handel’s “The Messiah,” not only by the beautiful words but also the music that accompanied them. May the Scriptures impact us in the same unforgettable way. The Word of God has the power to transform us from within in ways we can barely understand.

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11

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. 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. 

PSALM

Psalm 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14

R: Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

⁹ I will hear what God proclaims; the Lord—for he proclaims peace to his people. ¹⁰ Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. (R) ¹¹ Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. ¹² Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. (R) ¹³ The Lord himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. ¹⁴ Justice shall walk before him, and prepare the way of his steps. (R) 

2nd READING 

God knows exactly the right time on what He needs to do in our lives. On our part, the key in accomplishing His will is obeying Him. Why would we wait before we surrender to Him? Let us place ourselves in God’s hands and allow the perfect timing of His grace to work.

2 Peter 3:8-14

⁸ Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. ⁹ The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,” but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. ¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out. ¹¹ Since everything is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be, conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, ¹² waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. ¹³ But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. ¹⁴ Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.

 

PSALM

GOSPEL

Salvation is the work of the Lord and His Spirit. We are all called to proclaim the Gospel about the life and ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit. God needs us to animate the message and proclaim it.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Mark 1:1-8

¹ The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. ² As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. ³ A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” ⁴ John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. ⁶ John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. ⁸ I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Reflect: Who is a model of humility you look up to? What traits does this person have that you wish to emulate?

 

______________________________    

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST 

thank You, Lord, for: 

____________________  

                                          

Read the Bible in one year - Ezekeil 41-44 

Active Dreaming

 

Active Dreaming

A couple—both sixty years old—was celebrating their thirty-fifth wedding  anniversary. While walking on the beach, they stumbled upon a lamp where  a genie resides. After freeing the genie, they were granted the proverbial three  wishes. The man immediately said, “I want you to give me a fleet of cars!”  Immediately, the wish was granted. As a follow-up, he requested again, “Give  me lots and lots of cash.” It was granted. Then finally, he whispered to the  genie, “Give me a wife forty years younger than me.” Immediately, he became  a hundred years old.  

Maybe the genie was dumb. Or maybe, he saw through the selfishness of  the husband who only thought of his wishes. 

Our readings for today speak of Advent dreams fulfilled and realized.  The First Reading outlines for us the vision of Isaiah, the promise to be  brought about by the awaited coming Messiah: “The deaf shall hear . . . the  eyes of the blind shall see . . . and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.” In the Gospel, we see a glimpse of the fulfillment of that vision. Two blind  men from Capernaum were healed of their blindness. The season of Advent  speaks of the joyful anticipation of hopes realized and promises fulfilled in the  coming of the long-awaited Messiah.  

Today, I would like to propose that we look at the Advent season not only  from the point of view of the two blind men who were healed but from the  point of view of Jesus who performed the healing.  

Make your Advent season not only a passive one—a time for receiving.  Rather, make it an active one—a time for giving.  

This Advent, ask not only that your prayers may be answered. Pray also  that you may be the answer to other people’s prayers. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION When was the last time you actually went out of your way to do something for  someone who you do not even know? In prayer, look into your heart and ask the  Lord to elevate the desires of your heart from being a recipient to being a giver.

 

Lord Jesus, Emmanuel, may I not passively wait for Your coming. May I hasten Your coming  by being Your instrument of love and service. Amen. 

 

Today, I pray for: ________________________________________________

Daily Bible Reading - December 4, 2020

 

1st READING 

Regeneration is a slow process in the natural world; it can be the same in the spiritual world even if God is at its helm. He renews His people, but its completion will take time. God also works in us over time—not everything happens in an instant. Our world conditions us to be “instant junkies,” expecting everything to happen immediately. Spiritually, this may not be the healthiest way to achieve change. A gradual transformation often endures for a longer time. 

Isaiah 29:17-24 

¹⁷ Thus says the Lord God: But a very little while, and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard, and the orchard be regarded as a forest! ¹⁸ On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book; and out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see. ¹⁹ The lowly will ever find joy in the Lord, and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. ²⁰ For the tyrant will be no more and the arrogant will have gone; all who are alert to do evil will be cut off, ²¹ those whose mere word condemns a man, who ensnare his defender at the gate, and leave the just man with an empty claim. ²² Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of the house of Jacob, who redeemed Abraham. Now Jacob shall have nothing to be ashamed of, nor shall his face grow pale. ²³ When his children see the work of my hands in his midst, they shall keep my name holy; they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob, and be in awe of the God of Israel. ²⁴Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding, and those who find fault shall receive instruction. 

PSALM

Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

R: The Lord is my light and my salvation.

¹ The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? (R) ⁴ One thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may gaze on the loveliness of the Lord and contemplate his temple. (R) ¹³ I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living. ¹⁴ Wait for the Lord with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord. (R) 

GOSPEL

The men who are healed of their blindness do not remain silent about the miracle they received, nor should we be afraid to speak up and share what God has done for us. We can be silenced by fear of what others think or how they respond to our testimony. This should not deter us from giving witness to God’s work in us. Today’s Gospel reminds us to share our experiences of the power of the Holy Spirit so others may come to know the Good News. 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Behold, our Lord shall come with power; he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.

Matthew 9:27-31

²⁷ As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out, “Son of David, have pity on us!” ²⁸ When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. ²⁹ Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” ³⁰ And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” ³¹ But they went out and spread word of him through all that land. 

Reflect: “Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous but sinners.” – Mark 2:17

______________________________    

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST 

thank You, Lord, for: 

____________________  

                                          

Read the Bible in one year - Ezekiel 33-36 

Daily Bible Reading - November 24, 2020

 

1st READING 

There are times when we bear bad fruit because of our sinfulness. We need the correction and guidance of the Holy Spirit and our pastoral carers. This is a natural and essential aspect of a disciple’s life. The grace of repentance is directly linked to the death of Jesus on the cross—the means by which our sins are forgiven.

Revelation 14:14-19

¹⁴ I, John, looked and there was a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud one who looked like a son of man, with a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. ¹⁵ Another angel came out of the temple, crying out in a loud voice to the one sitting on the cloud, “Use your sickle and reap the harvest, for the time to reap has come, because the earth’s harvest is fully ripe.” ¹⁶ So the one who was sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested. ¹⁷ Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven who also had a sharp sickle. ¹⁸ Then another angel came from the altar, who was in charge of the fire, and cried out in a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and cut the clusters from the earth’s vines, for its grapes are ripe.” ¹⁹ So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and cut the earth’s vintage. He threw it into the great wine press of God’s fury. 

PSALM

Psalm 96:10, 11-12, 13

R: The Lord comes to judge the earth.

¹⁰ Say among the nations: the Lord is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; 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 shall all the trees of the forest exult. (R) ¹³ 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 have a clear conscience, then we have no reason to worry about our faith. A clear conscience is what God wants for us. However, people do not put any effort into forming their consciences, and it is impossible to know if we are acting according to it. We should never act upon an ill-formed conscience as it has no authority.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Luke 21:5-11

⁵ While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, ⁶ “All that you see here—the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” ⁷ Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” ⁸ He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them! ⁹ When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” ¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. ¹¹ There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.”

Reflect: “There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience.” – French Proverb

______________________________    

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST 

thank You, Lord, for: 

____________________  

                                     

 

Read the Bible in one year - Baruch 1-3