Advent Readings for December 9th.

Today, as we reflect on the readings, we are invited to imagine ourselves in the gospel parable. Are we the lost one? One of the 99? The shepherd who is rescues the one?

Isaiah 40:1-11

God’s People Are Comforted

40 Comfort, O comfort my people,

    says your God.² Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,

    and cry to herthat she has served her term,

    that her penalty is paid,

that she has received from the Lord’s hand

    double for all her sins.

³ A voice cries out:

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;

    make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

⁴ Every valley shall be lifted up,

    and every mountain and hill be made low;

the uneven ground shall become level,

    and the rough places a plain.

⁵ Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,

    and all flesh shall see it together,

    for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

⁶ A voice says, “Cry out!”

    And I said, “What shall I cry?”

All flesh is grass;

    their constancy is like the flower of the field.

⁷ The grass withers; the flower fades,

    [[when the breath of the Lord blows upon it;

    surely the people are grass.

⁸ The grass withers; the flower fades,]]

    but the word of our God will stand forever.

⁹ Get you up to a high mountain,

    O Zion, herald of good news;

lift up your voice with strength,

    O Jerusalem, herald of good news;

    lift it up, do not fear;

say to the cities of Judah,

    “Here is your God!”

¹⁰ See, the Lord God comes with might,

    and his arm rules for him;

his reward is with him

    and his recompense before him.

¹¹ He will feed his flock like a shepherd;

    he will gather the lambs in his arms

and carry them in his bosom

    and gently lead the mother sheep.

Matthew 18:12-14

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

¹² What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? ¹³ And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. ¹⁴ So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.