Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 4, 2018
First Reading: Isaiah 11.1-10
1And a rod will go forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower will ascend from his root2And the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety3And he will be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord. He will not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears4Instead, he will judge the poor with justice, and he will reprove the meek of the earth with fairness. And he will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and he will slay the impious with the spirit of his lips5And justice will be the belt around his waist. And faith will be the warrior’s belt at his side6The wolf will dwell with the lamb; and the leopard will lie down with the kid; the calf and the lion and the sheep will abide together; and a little boy will drive them7The calf and the bear will feed together; their young ones will rest together. And the lion will eat straw like the ox8And a breastfeeding infant will play above the lair of the asp. And a child who has been weaned will thrust his hand into the den of the king snake9They will not harm, and they will not kill, on all my holy mountain. For the earth has been filled with the knowledge of the Lord, like the waters covering the sea10In that day, the root of Jesse, who stands as a sign among the people, the same the Gentiles shall beseech, and his sepulcher will be glorious
Psalm 72
1A Psalm according to Solomon2Give your judgment, O God, to the king, and your justice to the king’s son, to judge your people with justice and your poor with judgment3Let the mountains take up peace for the people, and the hills, justice4He will judge the poor of the people, and he will bring salvation to the sons of the poor. And he will humble the false accuser5And he will remain, with the sun and before the moon, from generation to generation6He will descend like rain upon fleece, and like showers showering upon the earth7In his days, justice will rise like the sun, with abundance of peace, until the moon is taken away8And he will rule from sea to sea and from the river to the limits of the whole world9In his sight, the Ethiopians will fall prostrate, and his enemies will lick the ground10The kings of Tarshish and the islands will offer gifts. The kings of Arabia and of Seba will bring gifts11And all the kings of the earth shall adore him. All nations will serve him12For he will free the poor from the powerful, and the poor one who has no helper13He will spare the poor and the indigent, and he will bring salvation to the souls of the poor14He will redeem their souls from usuries and from iniquity, and their names shall be honorable in his sight15And he will live, and to him will be given from the gold of Arabia, and by him they will always adore. They will bless him all day long16And there will be a firmament on earth, at the summits of mountains: its fruits will be extolled above Lebanon, and those of the city will flourish like the grass of the earth17May his name be blessed forever; may his name remain before the sun. And all the tribes of the earth will be blessed in him. All nations will magnify him18Blessed is the Lord, God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things19And blessed is the name of his majesty in eternity. And all the earth will be filled with his majesty. Amen. Amen20The praises of David, the son of Jesse, have reached an end
Gospel: Luke 10.21-24
21In the same hour, he exulted in the Holy Spirit, and he said: "I confess to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent, and have revealed them to little ones. It is so, Father, because this way was pleasing before you22All things have been delivered to me by my Father. And no one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and those to whom the Son has chosen to reveal him.23And turning to his disciples, he said: "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see24For I say to you, that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things that you see, and they did not see them, and to hear the things that you hear, and they did not hear them.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful visions of God’s plan for humanity, emphasizing humility, justice, and the revelation of divine truth. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a future filled with peace and harmony, where even natural enemies coexist in tranquility. This messianic vision is rooted in the promise of a leader from the root of Jesse, who will rule with wisdom, justice, and the power of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel from Luke complements this by showing Jesus rejoicing in the Father’s wisdom, who reveals profound truths not to the wise and powerful, but to the simple and humble. Jesus emphasizes that many prophets and kings longed to see what His disciples see, but they did not have the grace of such revelation.
The connection between the readings lies in their shared theme of God’s preference for the lowly and the humble. Isaiah’s vision of a world transformed by justice and peace is not just a distant dream but a reality that begins in the hearts of those who trust in God. Similarly, Luke’s passage reminds us that spiritual truths are not reserved for the elite or the learned but are accessible to those who approach God with childlike faith and openness. Both readings challenge us to embrace humility and simplicity, recognizing that God’s ways are often hidden from the proud but revealed to those who seek Him with a pure heart.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Do we approach God with the humility and openness of a child? Are we willing to trust in His plan, even when it seems mysterious or hidden? The moral lesson here is clear: true wisdom and understanding come not from human knowledge or power but from a deep trust in God’s providence. May we, like the disciples, be blessed to see and hear the wonders of God’s kingdom, and may we live in a way that reflects the justice, peace, and love that He desires for all creation.