Daily Readings - Tue Dec 03 2024
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 offer us a vision of God’s plan for humanity and invite us to reflect on the nature of divine revelation and humility. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a beautiful description of the Messiah, who will come from the root of Jesse. This Messiah is filled with the Spirit of the Lord, bringing wisdom, justice, and peace. Isaiah paints a picture of a world where even predators and prey live in harmony, and the earth is filled with the knowledge of God. This is a vision of God’s kingdom, where justice and peace reign supreme.
In the Gospel, Luke shares a moment where Jesus rejoices in the Holy Spirit. He thanks the Father for revealing divine truths not to the wise and powerful, but to the simple and humble. Jesus emphasizes that the relationship between the Father and the Son is unique, and that the Son reveals the Father to those who are open to receiving this gift. He then blesses his disciples, acknowledging that they are privileged to see and hear things that many prophets and kings longed to experience but could not.
These readings remind us that God’s ways are not our ways, and that divine truth is often revealed to those who are humble and open-hearted. Isaiah’s vision of the Messiah and Jesus’ words in the Gospel call us to trust in God’s plan and to approach life with humility. In a world that often values power and knowledge, we are invited to embrace simplicity and faith. Let us ask ourselves: Are we open to receiving God’s revelation in our lives? Do we approach God with the humility and trust of a child? May we strive to live in a way that reflects the peace and justice of God’s kingdom, and may our hearts remain open to the Spirit who guides us.