Grow In Your Faith: Sunday Grow Your Faith

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WORD AMONG US WAU.ORG Reflections

Daily Meditation: Matthew 3:1-12

Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! (Matthew 3:2)

Today we meet John the Baptist, herald and forerunner of the Messiah. A man of prayer and fasting, John knew from an early age that God had called him to preach repentance and “to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins” (Luke 1:76-77).

In the Gospel, John appears in the desert and proclaims, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:2). For years, he has attuned his heart to God’s promptings so he could prepare the people for the Messiah, and now, by the Spirit, he understands that the hour has come! John urges the people to “prepare the way of the Lord,” and get their lives in order so they could welcome Jesus and be saved (3:3).

John’s words cry out in our wilderness today as well: Prepare the way for the Lord! Repent, and get ready to welcome God’s Son! Just as the people of John’s time flocked to him to turn away from sin and be baptized, we can return to the Lord this Advent. We can seize the opportunity to repent and make room for Jesus in our hearts. Then we’ll know the joy of salvation as Jesus releases us from the burden of our sins.

How is God calling you to prepare the way for the Lord today? Don’t let anything prevent you from receiving his hope and healing! Open your heart to the tender mercy of God!

Are you burdened by guilt? Are you struggling to love someone? Or are you so stressed or preoccupied that you can’t even see your need to repent? Jesus delights to offer you absolution in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He is also present with you right now, wherever you are. He dwells in the sanctuary of your heart, where you can lay bare your sins and receive his mercy. Confess your sins to the Lord today, and you will discover what John knew: Jesus is near; the kingdom is at hand.

“Lord Jesus, I repent of any sin that separates me from you.”

Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17
Romans 15:4-9

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First Reading — Isaiah 11:1-10
1. In light of the above passage, why do you think we are hesitant to fully turn over our lives to Christ?

Second Reading — Romans 15:4-9
2. What attitude or mind-set is revealed in this passage from Romans?
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Gospel Reading — Matthew 3:1-12
3. What has been your experience with repentance? How do you feel about the need for repentance?

4. Describe “fruit that befits repentance.”

5. How does Jesus’ “baptizing with the Holy Spirit and with fire” affect us today?