First reading Isaiah 40:1-11
Consolations from the heart of Jerusalem
‘Console my people, console them’
says your God.
‘Speak to the heart of Jerusalem
and call to her
that her time of service is ended,
that her sin is atoned for,
that she has received from the hand of the Lord
double punishment for all her crimes.’
A voice cries, ‘Prepare in the wilderness
a way for the Lord.
Make a straight highway for our God
across the desert.
Let every valley be filled in,
every mountain and hill be laid low.
Let every cliff become a plain,
and the ridges a valley;
then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed
and all mankind shall see it;
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’
A voice commands, ‘Cry!’
and I answered, ‘What shall I cry?’”
– ‘All flesh is grass
and its beauty like the wild flower’s.
The grass withers, the flower fades
when the breath of the Lord blows on them.
(The grass is without doubt the people.)
The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God remains for ever.’
Go up on a high mountain,
joyful messenger to Zion.
Shout with a loud voice,
joyful messenger to Jerusalem.
Shout without fear,
say to the towns of Judah,
‘Here is your God.’
Here is the Lord coming with power,
his arm subduing all things to him.
The prize of his victory is with him,
his trophies all go before him.
He is like a shepherd feeding his flock,
gathering lambs in his arms,
holding them against his breast
and leading to their rest the mother ewes.
Responsorial Psalm 95(96):1-3,10-13
Here is our God coming with power.
O sing a new song to the Lord,
sing to the Lord all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name.
Proclaim his help day by day.
Tell among the nations his glory
and his wonders among all the peoples.
Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’
He will judge the peoples in fairness.
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad,
let the sea and all within it thunder praise,
let the land and all it bears rejoice,
all the trees of the wood shout for joy
at the presence of the Lord for he comes,
he comes to rule the earth.
With justice he will rule the world,
he will judge the peoples with his truth.
Gospel Matthew 18:12-14
The one lost sheep gives him more joy than the ninety-nine that did not stray
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray? I tell you solemnly, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all. Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.’
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God, our Shepherd
In today’s first reading, the prophet Isaiah proclaims, “Shout without fear, say to the towns of Judah, ‘Here is your God.’…He is like a shepherd feeding his flock, gathering lambs in his arms, holding them against his breast and leading to their rest the mother ewes”. As we prepare ourselves for Christmas, we are reminded by Isaiah that our God, who comes to us, is not an indifferent and intimidating presence. Instead, He is a tender shepherd who cares for His people and carries them close to His heart, offering His comfort and peace.
In the gospel, Jesus highlights the heart of God as the Good Shepherd, whose unconditional love compels Him to actively and tirelessly seek out and embrace each person, no matter how lost or distant they may feel in their journey. His compassion knows no bounds. This reminds us that we are never beyond the reach of the Shepherd’s love. Let us draw close to God with trust, not fear. May we also, in this time of Advent, reflect the Shepherd’s unconditional love through our words and actions to others.
Reflective question:
How can I allow myself to be sought and found by God, allowing Him to bring me to a deeper experience of His love?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
