Daily Readings - Sun Nov 30 2025

¹The word that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem²And in the last days, the mountain of the house of the Lord will be prepared at the summit of the mountains, and it will be exalted above the hills, and all the nations shall flow to it³And many peoples will go, and they will say: "Let us approach and ascend to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob. And he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For the law will go forth from Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem⁴And he will judge the nations, and he will rebuke many peoples. And they shall forge their swords into plowshares, and their spears into sickles. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they continue to train for battle⁵O house of Jacob, let us approach and walk in the light of the Lord

Romans

Chapter 13

¹¹And we know the present time, that now is the hour for us to rise up from sleep. For already our salvation is closer than when we first believed¹²The night has passed, and the day draws near. Therefore, let us cast aside the works of darkness, and be clothed with the armor of light¹³Let us walk honestly, as in the daylight, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and sexual immorality, not in contention and envy¹⁴Instead, be clothed with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in its desires

Matthew

Chapter 24

³⁷And just as in the days of Noah, so also will be the advent of the Son of man³⁸For it will be just as it was in the days before the flood: eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, even until that day when Noah entered into the ark³⁹And they did not realize it, until the flood came and took them all away. So also will the advent of the Son of man be⁴⁰Then two men will be in a field: one will be taken up, and one will be left behind⁴¹Two women will be grinding at a millstone: one will be taken up, and one will be left behind⁴²Therefore, be vigilant. For you do not know at what hour your Lord will return⁴³But know this: if only the father of the family knew at what hour the thief would arrive, he would certainly keep vigil and not permit his house to be broken into⁴⁴For this reason, you also must be prepared, for you do not know at what hour the Son of man will return

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the themes of preparedness, peace, and living in the light of God’s presence. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vision of a future where all nations come together in harmony, beating their swords into plowshares and living under the Lord’s guidance. This passage, written during a time of turmoil and division in Israel, offers hope for a messianic age where God’s law and peace reign supreme. The second reading from Romans urges us to awaken from spiritual slumber, casting aside the works of darkness and living virtuously as children of the light. This exhortation is rooted in the early Christian community’s expectation of Christ’s imminent return, calling believers to live with integrity and self-control. Finally, the Gospel from Matthew reminds us of the suddenness of the Lord’s coming, using the example of Noah’s flood to emphasize the importance of vigilance and readiness. These readings are interconnected by the thread of preparation and living with purpose. Isaiah’s vision of peace challenges us to work toward a world where conflict is replaced by cooperation and mutual respect. Romans calls us to live in a way that reflects our identity as followers of Christ, rejecting sin and embracing holiness. Matthew’s warning about the unexpected nature of the Lord’s return ties these together, reminding us that our efforts to live justly and peacefully must be grounded in a deep spiritual readiness. Each reading encourages us to evaluate how we are living in the present, with an eye toward the future and the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan. As we apply these readings to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Am I working toward peace in my relationships and community? Am I living with integrity, rejecting the “works of darkness” in my own life? Am I prepared to meet the Lord, whether he comes in a moment of crisis or at the end of my days? The moral lesson here is clear: we are called to live each day with purpose, striving to be instruments of peace and light in a world that often seems consumed by division and darkness. May we embrace this call with renewed commitment, trusting in God’s promise to guide us and strengthen us as we walk in his ways.