Daily Reading for Sunday, December 12th, 2010

Reading 1, Is 35:1-6a, 10

¹ Let the desert and the dry lands be glad, let the wasteland rejoice and bloom; like the asphodel,

² let it burst into flower, let it rejoice and sing for joy. The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it, the splendour of Carmel and Sharon; then they will see the glory of Yahweh, the splendour of our God.

³ Strengthen all weary hands, steady all trembling knees

⁴ and say to the faint-hearted, 'Be strong! Do not be afraid. Here is your God, vengeance is coming, divine retribution; he is coming to save you.'

⁵ Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed,

⁶ then the lame will leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy; for water will gush in the desert and streams in the wastelands,

¹⁰ For those whom Yahweh has ransomed will return, they will come to Zion shouting for joy, their heads crowned with joy unending; rejoicing and gladness will escort them and sorrow and sighing will take flight.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10

⁶ who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them. He keeps faith for ever,

⁷ gives justice to the oppressed, gives food to the hungry; Yahweh sets prisoners free.

⁸ Yahweh gives sight to the blind, lifts up those who are bowed down.

⁹ Yahweh protects the stranger, he sustains the orphan and the widow. Yahweh loves the upright,but he frustrates the wicked.

¹⁰ Yahweh reigns for ever, your God, Zion, from age to age.

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Gospel, Mt 11:2-11

² Now John had heard in prison what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him,

³ 'Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect someone else?'

⁴ Jesus answered, 'Go back and tell John what you hear and see;

⁵ the blind see again, and the lame walk, those suffering from virulent skin-diseases are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life and the good news is proclaimed to the poor;

⁶ and blessed is anyone who does not find me a cause of falling.'

⁷ As the men were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John, 'What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No?

⁸ Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces.

⁹ Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet:

¹⁰ he is the one of whom scripture says: Look, I am going to send my messenger in front of you to prepare your way before you.

¹¹ 'In truth I tell you, of all the children born to women, there has never been anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

Reading 2, Jas 5:7-10

⁷ Now be patient, brothers, until the Lord's coming. Think of a farmer: how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the ground until it has had the autumn rains and the spring rains!

⁸ You too must be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord's coming will be soon.

⁹ Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates.

¹⁰ For your example, brothers, in patiently putting up with persecution, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord's name;