Reading I
Is 42:1-4, 6-7
Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.
I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.
Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10.
(11b) The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.
The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, “Glory!”
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Reading II
Acts 10:34-38
Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
in the house of Cornelius, saying:
“In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.
You know the word that he sent to the Israelites
as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,
what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.”
Gospel
Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
The people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”After all the people had been baptized
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
“You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased.”
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Catholic Fundamentalism Interpretation:
Isaiah is reporting that The Programmer is describing the Messiah who will bring His spirit to the nations. He won't come yelling, and making a lot of noise to frighten and attract the credulous. He's not coming to hurt the weak, but to establish justice, quietly.
The Programmer, Himself, will bring Him so that His justice will triumph. He has done so in order to make a (new) agreement with all peoples of every nation, downloading a new Operating System.
He will open the eyes of those unable to see Him, and free those imprisoned by false ideas. He will free those trapped in false ideas.
The Programmer will download peace to His people. They will give to Him the glory and praise due to not just to Him, but to His Name. Get dressed up when adoring Him.
The Programmer will download peace to His people.
His programming power is over all the waters. His downloads are powerful and majestic.
The Programmer will download peace to His people.
His programming power thunders over all His Creation Program, and those who worship Him say "Glorious!" The Lord is above all that He has programmed forever.
The Programmer will download peace to His people.
Peter told those around him that he had been told that God shows to partiality to anyone. Any person in all Creation who fears and obeys Him is acceptable to Him.
You know what John the Baptist told the Israelites as He explained that The Program (Jesus Christ) would be downloaded in human form, bringing with Him the power of The Holy Wireless Connector.
He went about, re-programming damaged programs and driving living errors out of peoples' mental, physical, and spiritual operating systems, because The Programmer was with Him.
People wondered if John the Baptist was the promised Messiah.
He told them all, "I'm only baptizing you with water, but a far stronger Program is coming, and I'm not worthy to undo his bootlaces.
He will download The Holy Wireless Connector within you.
After John baptized the people (future disciples and followers?) Jesus was baptized, as well.
While Jesus was praying, Programming HQ opened, and The Holy Wireless Connector came down upon Him, looking like a dove.
The Programmer spoke from Programming HQ, and said,
"You are My beloved Son, The Living, Perfect, Obedient, Loving Program in human form. With You, I am well pleased.
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