Daily Readings - Thu Dec 16 2021
Isaiah
1Give praise, you who are barren and unable to conceive. Sing praise and make a joyful noise, you who have not given birth. For many are the children of the desolate, more so than of her who has a husband, says the Lord2Enlarge the place of your tent and extend the skins of your tabernacles, unsparingly. Lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes3For you shall extend to the right and to the left. And your offspring shall inherit the nations, and you shall inhabit the desolate cities4Do not be afraid! For you will not be confounded, and you will not blush. And you will not be put to shame, because you shall forget the confusion of your youth, and you shall no longer remember the disgrace of your widowhood5For the One who made you will rule over you. The Lord of hosts is his name. And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, will be called the God of all the earth6For the Lord has called you, like a woman forsaken and mourning in spirit, and like a wife rejected in her youth, said your God7For a brief moment, I have forsaken you, and with great pities, I will gather you8In a moment of indignation, I have hidden my face from you, for a little while. But with everlasting mercy, I have taken pity on you, said your Redeemer, the Lord9For me, it is just as in the days of Noah, to whom I swore that I would no longer bring in the waters of Noah over the earth. Thus have I sworn not to be angry with you, and not to rebuke you10For the mountains will be moved, and the hills will tremble. But my mercy will not depart from you, and the covenant of my peace will not be shaken, said the Lord, who has compassion on you
Luke
24And when the messengers of John had withdrawn, he began to speak about John to the crowds. "What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed shaken by the wind25Then what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Behold, those who are in costly apparel and finery are in the houses of kings26Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Certainly, I tell you, and more than a prophet27This is he of whom it is written: "Behold, I send my Angel before your face, who shall prepare your way before you.28For I say to you, among those born of women, no one is greater than the prophet John the Baptist. But he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.29And upon hearing this, all the people and the tax collectors justified God, by being baptized with the baptism of John30But the Pharisees and the experts in the law despised the counsel of God concerning themselves, by not being baptized by him
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages of hope and humility. The first reading from Isaiah 54 speaks to a people in exile, offering comfort and the promise of restoration. Jerusalem, personified as a barren woman, is assured of God's enduring mercy and the expansion of His people, symbolized by an ever-enlarging tent. This passage, written after the Babylonian exile, reminds us that even in despair, God's faithfulness endures, promising a future filled with life and joy.
The Gospel from Luke 7:24-30 shifts our focus to John the Baptist, whom Jesus praises as the greatest among those born of women. John's role as a prophet and precursor to Christ is emphasized, yet Jesus notes that even the least in the kingdom surpasses John. This highlights the transition from the Old Covenant to the New, where humility and openness to God's will are paramount. The people's acceptance of John's baptism contrasts with the Pharisees' rejection, underscoring the importance of responding to God's plan with humility.
Together, these readings invite us to trust in God's mercy and remain open to His will. Like Isaiah's barren woman, we are called to embrace hope despite challenges. Like John the Baptist, we are to humble ourselves, recognizing our role within God's larger plan. May we, in our daily lives, reflect this hope and humility, trusting in God's faithfulness and responding with open hearts to His call.