FIRST READING
I am your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
A reading from the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 41:13-20)
I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I will help you.” Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I will help you, says the Lord; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I will make of you a threshing sledge, new, sharp, and having teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and crush them, and you shall make the hills like chaff; you shall winnow them and the wind shall carry them away, and the tempest shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the Lord; in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive; I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together; that men may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 145:1 and 9.10- 11.12-13ab (R. 8)
R/. The Lord is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in mercy.
I will extol you, my God and king,
and bless your name forever and ever.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures. R/.
All your works shall thank you,
O Lord, and all your faithful ones bless you.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign,
and declare your mighty deeds. R/.
R/. The Lord is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in mercy.
They shall make known your might to the children of men,
and the glorious splendour of your reign.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;
your rule endures for all generations. R/.
ALLELUIA Isaiah 45:8
Alleluia. Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down the Just One; let the earth open, that it may bring forth the Saviour. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
No one greater than John the Baptist has risen.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 11:11-15)
At that time: Jesus said to the crowds, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John; and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
Not once does the Bible say, “Worry about it,” “Stress over it,” or “Figure it out.” Instead, over and over, it clearly says, “Fear not!” whatever our experience in life is, whoever has offended us; however severe our failures are, God tells us “Fear not, I am with you!” God is with us to help us find a way out of our confusion and disharmony. What we need is trust. We need to trust God who can transform our anger into mercy; selfishness into generosity; conflict into reconciliation; indifference into compassion. We must trust that times of sadness will be turned into moments of great joy and celebration. As we experience the richness of a life lived with deep trust, we are able to surrender ourselves more and more to the Lord.