Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 2, 2021
First Reading: Isaiah 26.1-6
1In that day, this canticle will be sung in the land of Judah. Within it will be set the city of our strength: Zion, a savior, a wall with a bulwark2Open the gates, and let the just people who guard the truth enter3The old error has gone away. You will serve peace: peace, for we have hoped in you4You have trusted in the Lord for all eternity, in the Lord God almighty forever5For he will bend down those living in the heights. He will bring low the lofty city. He will lower it, even to the ground. He will tear it down, even to the dust6The foot will tread it down: the feet of the poor, the steps of the indigent
Psalm 118
1Alleluia. Confess to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy is forever2Let Israel now say: For he is good, for his mercy is forever3Let the house of Aaron now say: For his mercy is forever4Let those who fear the Lord now say: For his mercy is forever5In my tribulation, I called upon the Lord. And the Lord heeded me with generosity6The Lord is my helper. I will not fear what man can do to me7The Lord is my helper. And I will look down upon my enemies8It is good to trust in the Lord, rather than to trust in man9It is good to hope in the Lord, rather than to hope in leaders10All the nations have surrounded me. And, in the name of the Lord, I have been avenged over them11Surrounding me, they closed in on me. And, in the name of the Lord, I have been avenged over them12They surrounded me like a swarm, and they burned like fire among the thorns. And, in the name of the Lord, I have been avenged over them13Having been pushed, I was overturned so as to fall. But the Lord took me up14The Lord is my strength and my praise. And he has become my salvation15A voice of exultation and salvation is in the tabernacles of the just16The right hand of the Lord has wrought virtue. The right hand of the Lord has exalted me. The right hand of the Lord has wrought virtue17I will not die, but I will live. And I will declare the works of the Lord18When chastising, the Lord chastised me. But he has not delivered me over to death19Open the gates of justice to me. I will enter them, and I will confess to the Lord20This is the gate of the Lord. The just will enter by it21I will confess to you because you have heard me. And you have become my salvation22The stone which the builders have rejected, this has become the head of the corner23By the Lord has this been done, and it is a wonder before our eyes24This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us exult and rejoice in it25O Lord, grant salvation to me. O Lord, grant good prosperity26Blessed is he who arrives in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you from the house of the Lord27The Lord is God, and he has enlightened us. Establish a solemn day amid a dense crowd, even to the horn of the altar28You are my God, and I will confess to you. You are my God, and I will exalt you. I will confess to you, for you have heeded me. And you have become my salvation29Confess to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy is forever
Gospel: Matthew 7.21, 24-27
21Not all who say to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does the will of my Father, who is in heaven, the same shall enter into the kingdom of heaven24Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and does them shall be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock25And the rains descended, and the floods rose up, and the winds blew, and rushed upon that house, but it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock26And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them shall be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand27And the rains descended, and the floods rose up, and the winds blew, and rushed upon that house, and it did fall, and great was its ruin.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of true faith and its practical implications in our lives. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a beautiful canticle of trust and hope in God’s providence. The prophet describes a city of strength, Zion, where the just and the faithful enter through the gates, trusting in God’s promise of peace. This passage is set in a time of uncertainty and threat for the people of Judah, but Isaiah reminds them that true security comes not from human strength but from reliance on the Lord. The old errors and false securities of the world will pass away, but those who trust in God will endure.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us that merely calling him “Lord” is not enough to enter the kingdom of heaven. What matters is doing the will of the Father. He illustrates this with the parable of the wise and foolish builders. The wise builder, who hears Jesus’ words and acts on them, constructs his house on rock, and it stands firm against the storms of life. The foolish builder, who hears but does not act, builds on sand, and his house collapses. This teaching emphasizes that faith must be lived out in action. It is not enough to listen to God’s word; we must allow it to shape our decisions and guide our lives.
These readings are deeply connected. Isaiah’s call to trust in God and Jesus’ call to act on His teachings are two sides of the same coin. Trusting in God leads us to live according to His will, which is the foundation of a life that endures through life’s challenges. In our daily lives, this means prayerfully seeking God’s will and then having the courage to act on it, even when it is difficult. Let us ask ourselves: Am I building my life on the rock of God’s word, or am I settling for the shifting sands of the world? May we strive to be wise builders, trusting in God’s providence and living out our faith with integrity and love.