Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 5, 2024
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 foundation of our faith and the trust we place in God. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a canticle of hope and trust in the Lord, who is described as the ultimate source of strength and salvation. The prophet speaks of a city secure in God’s protection, where the just and the poor find refuge. This passage reminds us that our true security lies not in human strength or earthly power but in the Lord, who bends down to the lowly and lifts them up. Isaiah’s words are a call to hope and perseverance, especially in times of uncertainty.
In the Gospel, Jesus emphasizes the importance of living out our faith in action. He warns that not everyone who claims to follow Him will enter the kingdom of heaven; only those who do the will of His Father. Jesus then illustrates this with the parable of the two builders—one wise and one foolish. The wise builder constructs his house on rock, symbolizing a life rooted in God’s teachings, while the foolish builder chooses sand, representing a life without a firm spiritual foundation. Jesus’ message is clear: our words and professions of faith mean little unless they are accompanied by deeds that reflect His will.
These readings remind us that faith must be lived out in trust and action. Like the wise builder, we must ground our lives in the teachings of Christ, allowing His words to shape our decisions and guide our actions. In a world that often values power and wealth, Isaiah’s vision of a humble and trusting people challenges us to prioritize the lowly and the marginalized. As we navigate the challenges of daily life, let us build our lives on the rock of God’s love and justice, trusting that He will see us through even the most turbulent storms. In doing so, we become not only hearers of the word but doers, living out the Gospel in a way that reflects the kingdom of heaven.