Daily Readings - Wed Dec 04 2019
Isaiah
6And the Lord of hosts will cause all the peoples on this mountain to feast on fatness, to feast on wine, a fatness full of marrow, a purified wine7And he will cast down violently, on this mountain, the face of the chains, with which all peoples had been bound, and the net, with which all nations had been covered8He will violently cast down death forever. And the Lord God will take away the tears from every face, and he will take away the disgrace of his people from the entire earth. For the Lord has spoken it9And they will say in that day: "Behold, this is our God! We have waited for him, and he will save us. This is the Lord! We have endured for him. We will exult and rejoice in his salvation.10For the hand of the Lord will rest upon this mountain. And Moab will be trampled under him, just as stubble is worn away by a wagon
Matthew
29And when Jesus had passed from there, he arrived beside the sea of Galilee. And ascending onto a mountain, he sat down there30And great multitudes came to him, having with them the mute, the blind, the lame, the disabled, and many others. And they cast them down at his feet, and he cured them31so much so that the crowds wondered, seeing the mute speaking, the lame walking, the blind seeing. And they magnified the God of Israel32And Jesus, calling together his disciples, said: "I have compassion on the crowds, because they have persevered with me now for three days, and they do not have anything to eat. And I am not willing to dismiss them, fasting, lest they faint along the way.33And the disciples said to him: "From where, then, in the desert, would we obtain enough bread to satisfy so a great multitude?34And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" But they said, "Seven, and a few little fish.35And he instructed the crowds to recline upon the ground36And taking the seven loaves and the fish, and giving thanks, he broke and gave to his disciples, and the disciples gave to the people37And they all ate and were satisfied. And, from what was left over of the fragments, they took up seven full baskets
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound expressions of God's abundant provision and care. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a future feast on Mount Zion, where God will wipe away tears and destroy death, offering a vision of eternal salvation and joy. This passage, written during a time of turmoil for Israel, looks forward to a messianic era where God's people will find comfort and celebration. The second reading from Matthew illustrates Jesus' compassion as he heals the sick and feeds a multitude with just seven loaves and a few fish, demonstrating divine providence and the fulfillment of spiritual and physical needs.
Both readings highlight God's generosity and care. Isaiah's feast is a spiritual banquet, symbolizing the ultimate salvation through Christ, while Matthew's account shows Jesus addressing both the physical and spiritual hunger of the crowd. This dual focus reminds us that our faith must nurture both our souls and our bodies, trusting in God's provision in all aspects of life.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to trust in God's faithfulness, even in times of scarcity or doubt. Just as Jesus multiplied the loaves, He can transform our limited resources into abundance. We are called to emulate His compassion, caring for others' needs and trusting in His divine plan. The moral lesson here is one of faith and compassion: trust in God's provision and extend His love to others, just as He does for us.