Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church from Psalm 85:

I will listen to what you have to say, YHWH—

a voice that speaks of peace, peace

for your people and your friends

so long as they don’t return to their folly.
9 Your salvation is near for those who revere you

and your glory will dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness have met;

justice and peace have embraced.
11 Fidelity will sprout from the earth

and justice will lean down from heaven.
12 YHWH will give us what is good,

and our land will yield its harvest.
13 Justice will march before you, YHWH,

and peace will prepare the way for your steps.

And from the Gospel of Mark chapter 1 verses 1-8: 

The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,

    who will prepare your way;

the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

    ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

    make his paths straight,’”

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

This is the word of the Lord.         Thanks be to God