Advent Readings for December 4th

Today’s readings invite us to reflect on if our actions match our words. Do we say yes but live no?

Isaiah 26:1-6

¹ On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city;

    he sets up walls and bulwarks as a safeguard.

² Open the gates,

    so that the righteous nation that maintains faithfulness

    may enter in.

³ Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace,

    in peace because they trust in you.

⁴ Trust in the Lord forever,

    for in the Lord God

    you have an everlasting rock.

⁵ For he has brought low

    the inhabitants of the height;

    the lofty city he lays low.

He lays it low to the ground,

    casts it to the dust.

⁶ The foot tramples it,

    the feet of the poor,

    the steps of the needy.

Matt 7:21, 24-27

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

²⁴ “Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. ²⁵ The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. ²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”