Daily readings and thoughts

  Wednesday 23 rd   December  Mal 3:1 – 4:5; Ps 25:1-14; Luke 1:57-66   O Emmanuel, you are our king and judge, the one whom the peoples await and their Saviour.    O come and save us, Lord, our God.

  Saturday 19 th   December Judges 13:1-25; Ps 71:1-8; Luke 1:5-25   O stock of Jesse, you stand as a signal for the nations; kings fall silent before you whom the peoples acclaim.    O come to deliver us, and do not delay.

Friday 18 th  December Jer 23 :1 -8; Ps 72:12-19 ; Matt 1:1 8-24   O Adonai and leader of Israel, you appeared to Moses in a burning bush and you gave him the Law on Sinai.    O come and save us with your mighty power.

  Thursday 17 th   December Gen 49:8-12; Ps 72:1-11; Matt 1:1-17   From today we begin the church’s countdown to Christmas using the “O Antiphons.”   O Wisdom, you come forth from the mouth of the Most High. You fill the universe and hold all things together in a strong yet gentle manner.    O come to teach us the way of truth.

  Wednesday 9 th   December   Isa 40:18-31 ; Ps 103:1-13; Matt 11:28-30   And in this year of so much trouble, hang on to Hope that is grounded in God, not wild optimism. Hope that soars over our despair like an eagle on the wing.

  Tuesday 8 th   December Isa 40:1-11 ; Ps 96; Matt 18:12-14   The road in the wilderness cannot be achieved by clever civil engineering then or now. It is an act of God to make a path to God and humanity through the mire of our sin and pain.

  Monday 7 th December Isa 35; Ps 85; Luke 5:17-26 The healing miracles of Jesus are both comforting and challenging. We sometimes ask why we do not see these things happening today. The miracles are both a sign of Jesus compassion and a symbol of the Kingdom of God breaking in on us, like flowers in the desert, like a road in the wilderness.

  Friday 4 th   December Isa 29:13-24; Ps 27; Matt 9:27-31   Before God there is place for pretence and no opportunity for flattery. God sees to the core of human lives and motives. None of us will be found perfect, of course, but recognising our brokenness before God will be the first step of the wayward in spirit gaining true understanding.

Wednesday 2nd December Isa 25:6-12 ; Ps 23; Matt 15:29-37   The real enemy of humanity is not the neighbouring continent, or even the next town, next street or next house. It is the shroud that enfolds all people – the power of sin and death. God destroys death and wipes away tears.