Daily Readings - Sat Dec 04 2021
Isaiah
19For the people of Zion will live in Jerusalem. Bitterly, you will not weep. Mercifully, he will take pity on you. At the voice of your outcry, as soon as he hears, he will respond to you20And the Lord will give you thick bread and accessible water. And he will not cause your teacher to fly away from you anymore. And your eyes will behold your instructor21And your ears will listen to the word of one admonishing you behind your back: "This is the way! Walk in it! And do not turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left.23And wherever you sow seed upon the earth, rain will be given to the seed. And bread from the grain of the earth will be very plentiful and full. In that day, the lamb will pasture in the spacious land of your possession24And your bulls, and the colts of the donkeys that work the ground, will eat a mix of grains like that winnowed on the threshing floor25And there will be, on every lofty mountain, and on every elevated hill, rivers of running water, in the day of the slaughter of many, when the tower will fall26And the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, like the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord will bind the wound of his people, and when he will heal the stroke of their scourge
Matthew
35And Jesus traveled throughout all of the cities and towns, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every illness and every infirmity36Then, seeing the multitudes, he had compassion on them, because they were distressed and were reclining, like sheep without a shepherd37Then he said to his disciples: "The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few38Therefore, petition the Lord of the harvest, so that he may sent out laborers to his harvest.
1And having called together his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to cure every sickness and every infirmity5Jesus sent these twelve, instructing them, saying: "Do not travel by the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter into the city of the Samaritans6but instead go to the sheep who have fallen away from the house of Israel7And going forth, preach, saying: ‘For the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.8Cure the infirm, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You have received freely, so give freely
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful themes of hope, healing, and mission. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a restored Zion, where God’s people live in abundance and peace. The prophet describes a time when the Lord will provide for all needs, both physical and spiritual, and when His people will no longer suffer but instead flourish under His care. This vision is not just a distant promise but a call to trust in God’s providence and to remain faithful even in times of hardship.
The Gospel reading from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus, who embodies this divine compassion and care. Jesus travels through cities and towns, teaching, preaching, and healing, moved by the sight of people who are “distressed and lying like sheep without a shepherd.” His response is not only to meet their physical needs but also to address their spiritual hunger. Recognizing the vastness of the need, Jesus calls his disciples to join him in this mission, sending them out to preach, heal, and bring hope to those who have wandered away from God. This passage reminds us that we, too, are called to be instruments of God’s healing and love in the world.
These readings are deeply connected. Isaiah’s vision of restoration finds its fulfillment in Jesus, who inaugurates the kingdom of heaven through his ministry. Just as God promised to send teachers and healers to his people, Jesus sends his disciples—and by extension, us—to continue his work. The moral lesson here is clear: we are called to trust in God’s plan, to be compassionate as Christ is compassionate, and to step out in faith to serve others. In our daily lives, this means looking for opportunities to bring light, hope, and healing to those around us, whether through a kind word, a listening ear, or a helping hand. Let us embrace this mission with joy, remembering that we do not labor alone but are accompanied by the Lord, who multiplies our efforts and brings fruit to our work.