1ST READING
There
will always be times in our lives when we need encouragement — times of
struggle, when we are down on our luck, or simply not having a good
day. It is then that our faith needs to kick in and inspire hope within
us. Without hope, our Christian faith is powerless to move us to
overcome difficulties; without hope, we would be left to contemplate our
downfall, knowing that there is no redemption.
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! (R) They shall exult 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
In
this parable we begin to see the nature of the forgiving heart of God.
God is not so concerned with those who are well — they are on the right
path. However, He does not want to lose anyone to sin and, thus, He goes
out to save those who have strayed from their faith and are lost in the
world of sin and temptation. He will never give up on anyone. It is we
who give up on Him.
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.”
think: God will never give up on anyone. It is we who give up on Him.
T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: __________________
____________________________________
God’s special verse/thought for me today_
_____________________________________
READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Daniel 4-6
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