Daily Readings - Mon Dec 07 2020
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 offer us a powerful message of hope, healing, and redemption. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a vivid description of a desolate land transformed into a place of beauty and life. The prophet speaks of the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, and the lame leaping with joy. This is not just a vision of physical healing but a spiritual one, where God’s presence brings restoration and joy to those who have been afflicted. The passage reminds us that God’s power can transform even the most barren and broken situations, creating a holy path for those who trust in Him.
In the Gospel, Luke shares the story of a paralytic man who is lowered through the roof by his friends to reach Jesus. What is striking here is not just the physical healing that takes place, but the fact that Jesus first forgives the man’s sins. This act of forgiveness is what truly sets him free, and it is only then that he is able to rise and walk. The Pharisees and scribes are scandalized by Jesus’ claim to forgive sins, but Jesus demonstrates His authority by healing the man. This story shows us that true healing is not just about the body but also about the soul. Jesus has the power to forgive our sins and restore us to wholeness.
These readings remind us that our faith is not just about waiting for a distant promise but about experiencing God’s transformative power in our lives today. Like the friends of the paralytic, we are called to bring others to Jesus, trusting in His power to heal and restore. And like the man in the Gospel, we are called to respond to God’s grace with faith and gratitude. Let us open our hearts to the healing power of God, both in our own lives and in the lives of those around us. May we walk in the holy way, free from the burdens of sin, and may we always give glory to God for the miracles He works in us.