Daily Readings - Tue Nov 29 2022
Isaiah
1And a rod will go forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower will ascend from his root2And the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and piety3And he will be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord. He will not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears4Instead, he will judge the poor with justice, and he will reprove the meek of the earth with fairness. And he will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and he will slay the impious with the spirit of his lips5And justice will be the belt around his waist. And faith will be the warrior’s belt at his side6The wolf will dwell with the lamb; and the leopard will lie down with the kid; the calf and the lion and the sheep will abide together; and a little boy will drive them7The calf and the bear will feed together; their young ones will rest together. And the lion will eat straw like the ox8And a breastfeeding infant will play above the lair of the asp. And a child who has been weaned will thrust his hand into the den of the king snake9They will not harm, and they will not kill, on all my holy mountain. For the earth has been filled with the knowledge of the Lord, like the waters covering the sea10In that day, the root of Jesse, who stands as a sign among the people, the same the Gentiles shall beseech, and his sepulcher will be glorious
Luke
21In the same hour, he exulted in the Holy Spirit, and he said: "I confess to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent, and have revealed them to little ones. It is so, Father, because this way was pleasing before you22All things have been delivered to me by my Father. And no one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and those to whom the Son has chosen to reveal him.23And turning to his disciples, he said: "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see24For I say to you, that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things that you see, and they did not see them, and to hear the things that you hear, and they did not hear them.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of hope, justice, and the revelation of God’s plan. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a beautiful vision of the Messiah, a shoot from the root of Jesse, who will bring peace and harmony to the world. This Messiah is not a warrior but a just ruler, anointed by the Spirit of the Lord, who will judge the poor with justice and slay the wicked with the breath of his mouth. Isaiah paints a picture of a world where even natural enemies—like the wolf and the lamb—will live in peace, and where the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. This is a vision of God’s kingdom, where all creation thrives under the reign of justice and love.
In the Gospel, Luke shares a moment of profound joy and revelation. Jesus rejoices in the Holy Spirit because God has chosen to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom not to the wise and powerful, but to the simple and humble. He emphasizes that true understanding comes not from human wisdom but from the Father’s gracious revelation. Jesus then turns to his disciples and blesses them for being eyewitnesses to the fulfillment of God’s promises, something even the great prophets and kings longed to see but did not. This passage reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways, and His wisdom often upends human expectations.
These readings call us to embrace humility and trust in God’s plan. Isaiah’s vision of harmony and justice challenges us to work toward a world where the vulnerable are protected and creation is at peace. Luke’s account reminds us that true wisdom comes from God, not from human pride or achievement. In our daily lives, we are invited to approach God with a humble and open heart, recognizing that His revelation is a gift given to those who are willing to see and hear. Let us strive to live in harmony with one another and with creation, trusting that God’s kingdom of justice and peace is not just a distant hope but a reality we can help bring to life.