Daily Readings - Mon Dec 10 2018
Isaiah
1The desolate and impassable land will rejoice, and the place of solitude will exult, and it will flourish like the lily2It will spring up and blossom, and it will exult with rejoicing and praising. The glory of Lebanon has been given to it, with the beauty of Carmel and Sharon. These will see the glory of the Lord and the beauty of our God3Strengthen the lax hands, and confirm the weak knees4Say to the fainthearted: "Take courage and fear not! Behold, your God will bring the vindication of retribution. God himself will arrive to save you.5Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be cleared6Then the disabled will leap like a buck, and the tongue of the mute will be untied. For the waters have burst forth in the desert, and torrents in solitary places7And the land that was dry will have a pond, and the thirsty land will have fountains of water. In the hollows where the serpents lived before, there will rise up the greenery of reed and bulrush8And there shall be a path and a road in that place. And it will be called the Holy Way. The defiled will not pass through it. For this will be an upright path for you, so much so that the foolish will not wander along it9There will be no lions in that place, and harmful wild animals will neither climb up to it, nor be found there. Only those who have been freed will walk in that place10And the redeemed of the Lord will be converted, and they will return to Zion with praising. And everlasting joy will be upon their heads. They will obtain gladness and rejoicing. For pain and sorrow will flee away
Luke
17And it happened, on a certain day, that he again sat down, teaching. And there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting nearby, who had come from every town of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present, to heal them18And behold, some men were carrying in the bed of a man who was paralyzed. And they sought a way to bring him in, and to place him before him19And not finding a way by which they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they climbed up to the roof, and they let him down through the roof tiles with his bed, into their midst, in front of Jesus20And when he saw his faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you.21And the scribes and Pharisees began to think, saying: "Who is this, who is speaking blasphemies? Who is able to forgive sins, except God alone?22But when Jesus realized their thoughts, responding, he said to them: "What are you thinking in your hearts23Which is easier to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk?24But so that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins," he said to the paralytic, "I say to you to: Rise up, take up your bed, and go into your house.25And at once, rising up in their sight, he took up the bed on which he was lying, and he went away to his own house, magnifying God26And astonishment took hold of everyone, and they were magnifying God. And they were filled with fear, saying: "For we have seen miracles today.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the transformative power of God’s presence in our lives. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a vivid description of a desolate land being restored to life and beauty. The prophet speaks of a time when the blind will see, the deaf will hear, and the lame will leap with joy. This vision is not just about physical healing but also about spiritual renewal. It is a promise of hope for a people in exile, assuring them that God will bring them back to a place of abundance and joy. The imagery of the desert blooming and the creation of a holy path underscores God’s ability to bring life out of barrenness and order out of chaos.
In the Gospel, we see this promise fulfilled in Jesus. Luke’s account of the paralyzed man being lowered through the roof by his friends is a powerful story of faith and healing. The man’s physical paralysis is a symbol of the spiritual paralysis that can afflict us all—sin. Jesus, seeing the man’s faith, forgives his sins first, addressing the deeper need before healing his body. This demonstrates that true healing is not just physical but also spiritual. The Pharisees and scribes are scandalized by Jesus’ claim to forgive sins, but Jesus proves His authority by healing the man, leaving no doubt that He is the Son of Man with the power to forgive and restore.
These readings remind us that our faith is not just about waiting for a future promise but about experiencing God’s transformative power in the present. Like the friends of the paralyzed man, we are called to bring others to Jesus, trusting in His power to heal and forgive. In our own lives, we may feel stuck in spiritual or emotional deserts, but God promises to bring life and joy even in the most barren places. Let us ask for the courage to trust in His plan and to seek His healing, knowing that He desires to restore us completely—body, mind, and spirit.