John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness: attributed to Correggio (+1534)
It's really never too early to take a look at the scriptures for the coming Sunday. On Monday's, I print out the readings and carry them in my pocket all week - always ready for a free moment or two to look them over and work on my homily.
Sunday, December 7, is the Second Sunday of Advent. The readings and background material on them are supplied by our friends at St. Louis University.
Got kids? They need to prepare to hear the Word, too, and help for that purpose is supplied by our friends at Sadlier.
This Sunday's first scripture is one of my favorites and one of my favorites as a subject for preaching: Isaiah's message of God's comfort and the promise that the rough ways (who doesn't know that path!) will be made smooth (and who doesn't long for that road?).
The second lesson offers us a "tough love" lesson but includes the promise of "new heavens and a new earth."
The gospel is one of our two Advent encounters with John the Baptist. Mark's gospel echoes Isaiah and even gives us a review of John's wardrobe and diet!
-ConcordPastor
That "new heavens and new earth" thing...do you have an ETA on that?
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be interesting if we did have the ETA .... how would our lives change?
ReplyDeleteThe ETA has been revealed: it is NOW!
ReplyDeleteTHIS is the day of the Lord!
That's why they say, "Live every day as if it were your last day."