Bible Diary

Daily Reading

Third Sunday of Advent

LECTIONARY
7

FIRST READING

IS 35:1-6A, 10

The desert and the parched land will exult;
the steppe will rejoice and bloom.
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.
Strengthen the hands that are feeble,
make firm the knees that are weak,
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.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.

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

PS 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10

Response: Lord, come and save us.

The LORD God keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.

The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers.

The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations.

SECOND READING

JAS 5:7-10

Be patient, brothers and sisters,
until the coming of the Lord.
See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth,
being patient with it
until it receives the early and the late rains.
You too must be patient.
Make your hearts firm,
because the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Do not complain, brothers and sisters, about one another,
that you may not be judged.
Behold, the Judge is standing before the gates.
Take as an example of hardship and patience, brothers and sisters,
the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

GOSPEL

MT 11:2-11

When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ,
he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question,
“Are you the one who is to come,
or should we look for another?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Go and tell John what you hear and see:
the blind regain their sight,
the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear,
the dead are raised,
and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.
And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”

As they were going off,
Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John,
“What did you go out to the desert to see?
A reed swayed by the wind?
Then what did you go out to see?
Someone dressed in fine clothing?
Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces.
Then why did you go out? To see a prophet?
Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom it is written:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way before you.
Amen, I say to you,
among those born of women
there has been none greater than John the Baptist;
yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Daily Reflection

The exiled Israelites waited expectantly as the prophet Isaiah instilled new hope in them by recounting God’s promise. Their return home would herald the dawn of the messianic age, accompanied by signs: the blind will see, the deaf, hear; the dumb, speak, and the lame will walk!

In the Gospel today, Jesus is a fulfillment of this promise. However, unlike the expectations of many, Jesus seems to be a gentle Messiah preaching words of love and forgiveness, bringing healing and comfort to all. John the Baptist was in prison facing imminent death; so, to strengthen the faith of his own disciples, he sends them to Jesus to enquire if He was really the ‘One’?

Jesus does not answer directly; for if he claimed to be the Messiah, the Jewish leaders would accuse Him of blasphemy. If he said he was not, that would be a lie. Instead Jesus asks them to observe and they would see the signs of the coming of the Messiah: the blind see, the dumb speak, the lame walk.

Do I recognise and acknowledge the signs that tell me of Jesus’ presence today?