A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings

Isaiah 9:8-17

This passage announces God’s judgment on the northern kingdom of Israel. It is interesting to note that the weapon used by God is his word itself. Israel failed to realize the weight of God’s word on the scales of justice. In their pride and arrogance, the people had rejected the word of God. They tried stubbornly to make lemonade out of lemons: "The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place." However, the Lord was not going to let them off that easily. The Lord raised adversaries against them, and stirred up their enemies, and they devoured Israel with open mouths. Even still, the people did not turn back to God. Consequently, the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail (head: elders and dignitaries; tail: prophets who teach lies). Those who led the people astray and those who were led by them were left in confusion. Because everyone was godless, evil and foul, the Lord refused to have pity even on the young, widows and orphans.

  1. Why is the word of God considered to be a weapon?

  2. When you weigh your thoughts, words and deeds against the weight of the word of God, what happens to the scales of justice?

  3. How much time do you spend reading, reflecting, and responding to the word of God on a daily basis? Does the time you spend suggest the word of God is a priority for you or an afterthought?

  4. It has often been said that we should make the best of a bad situation (i.e. make lemonade out of lemons). While this is generally true, why might approach make matters worse on occasion?

  5. Does the Lord raise up adversaries against us and stir up our enemies to devour us? Explain.

  6. Should we follow where we are led? Why or why not?

  7. Are widows, orphans and the young always innocent? Explain.

2 Peter 2:1-10a

Peter makes it very clear that neither the righteous nor unrighteous are in control - God is in control. There will be prophets and teachers who deny God and secretly destroy God’s people with their false opinions. Even when the people suffer swift destruction, many of them will continue to follow these false teachings and malign those who teach the truth. In their greed, false leaders will exploit people with deceptive words. Have no doubt, such leaders will be condemned and destroyed. For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of deepest darkness to be kept until the judgment; and if he did not spare the ancient world, even though he saved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood on a world of the ungodly; and if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction and made them an example of what is coming to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man greatly distressed by the licentiousness of the lawless (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by their lawless deeds that he saw and heard), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment - especially those who indulge their flesh in depraved lust, and who despise authority. Bold and willful, they are not afraid to slander the glorious ones,

  1. Why does it sometimes feel like the unrighteous are in control?

  2. Are the righteous in control?

  3. Who is in control?

  4. Do prophets and teachers always speak the truth? Explain.

  5. Do you trust your leaders today? Why or why not?

  6. When has God rescued you? What was that experience like?

  7. Does God punish people? Explain.

  8. Is being bold and willful a good thing? Explain.

Mark 1:1-8

This passage describes the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ as it unfolds in the life of John the Baptist. In preparation for the coming of the Messiah, John proclaims a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Purification before preparation. John also made 3 things clear to the people: 1) that the Messiah is more powerful than any of us (i.e. "The one who is more powerful than I”); 2) that we are not worthy to serve him (i.e. “I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals”); and 3) whatever we do will be transformed by the Messiah in a more glorious manner (i.e. “I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit").

  1. In what ways are we purifying ourselves during this season of Advent?

  2. How have we taken concrete steps to prepare room for the Messiah in our life?

  3. What are 3 nuggets of truth that John referenced to in his witnessing about the Messiah?

To God be the glory now and forever. Amen.

Fr. Thomas+



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