When we turn away from the Lord our God, and look to sin and all it’s temptations. Then we start to wither away, body, mind and spirit. The consequence of sin may even extend to our surroundings whether at home or at home.
Heeding the call to return to our Lord either through His prophets, our family, friends even acquaintances, we have hope of full restoration, peace all in His love for us. For our loving Lord reminds us in today’s first reading, that He holds our right hand, that we need not fear for He will help us.
Living now as beloved disciples of His shall we not be His ‘John the Baptists’ His ‘Elijahs’? Calling out for repentance, for reconciliation to the Lord our God. Pointing to the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. For His great glory. Amen
Our Lady of Guadalupe pray for us…
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First reading
Isaiah 41:13-20
I, the Holy One of Israel, am your redeemer
I, the Lord, your God,
I am holding you by the right hand; I tell you, ‘Do not be afraid,
I will help you.’
Do not be afraid, Jacob, poor worm, Israel, puny mite.
I will help you – it is the Lord who speaks – the Holy One of Israel is your redeemer.
See, I turn you into a threshing-sled, new, with doubled teeth; you shall thresh and crush the mountains, and turn the hills to chaff.
You shall winnow them and the wind will blow them away, the gale will scatter them.
But you yourself will rejoice in the Lord, and glory in the Holy One of Israel.
The poor and needy ask for water, and there is none, their tongue is parched with thirst.
I, the Lord, will answer them,
I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them.
I will make rivers well up on barren heights, and fountains in the midst of valleys; turn the wilderness into a lake, and dry ground into waterspring.
In the wilderness I will put cedar trees, acacias, myrtles, olives.
In the desert I will plant juniper,
plane tree and cypress side by side;
so that men may see and know,
may all observe and understand
that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.
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Gospel
Matthew 11:11-15
A greater than John the Baptist has never been seen
Jesus spoke to the crowds: ‘I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is. Since John the Baptist came, up to this present time, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence and the violent are taking it by storm. Because it was towards John that all the prophecies of the prophets and of the Law were leading; and he, if you will believe me, is the Elijah who was to return. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen!’
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