Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 5, 2025
First Reading: Isaiah 29.17-24
17In not more than a little while and a brief time, Lebanon will be turned into a fruitful field, and a fruitful field will be considered to be a forest18And in that day, the deaf will hear the words of a book, and out of darkness and obscurity the eyes of the blind will see19And the meek will increase their rejoicing in the Lord, and the poor among men will exult in the Holy One of Israel20For the one who was prevailing has failed, the one who was mocking has been consumed, and all those who were standing guard over iniquity have been cut down21For they caused men to sin by a word, and they supplanted him who argued against them at the gates, and they turned away from justice in vain22Because of this, thus says the Lord, he who has redeemed Abraham, to the house of Jacob: From now on, Jacob will not be confounded; from now on his countenance will not blush with shame23Instead, when he sees his children, they will be the work of my hands in his midst, sanctifying my name, and they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and they will preach the God of Israel24And those who had gone astray in spirit will know understanding, and those who had murmured will learn the law
Psalm 27
1A Psalm of David, before he was sealed. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life, of whom shall I be afraid2Meanwhile, the guilty draw near to me, so as to eat my flesh. Those who trouble me, my enemies, have themselves been weakened and have fallen3If entrenched armies were to stand together against me, my heart would not fear. If a battle were to rise up against me, I would have hope in this4One thing I have asked of the Lord, this I will seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, so that I may behold the delight of the Lord, and may visit his temple5For he has hidden me in his tabernacle. In the day of evils, he has protected me in the hidden place of his tabernacle6He has exalted me upon the rock, and now he has exalted my head above my enemies. I have circled around and offered a sacrifice of loud exclamation in his tabernacle. I will sing, and I will compose a psalm, to the Lord7Hear my voice, O Lord, with which I have cried out to you. Have mercy on me, and hear me8My heart has spoken to you; my face has sought you. I yearn for your face, O Lord9Do not turn your face away from me. In your wrath, do not turn aside from your servant. Be my helper. Do not abandon me, and do not despise me, O God, my Saviour10For my father and my mother have left me behind, but the Lord has taken me up11O Lord, establish a law for me in your way, and direct me in the right path, because of my enemies12Do not surrender me to the souls of those who trouble me. For unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and iniquity has lied to itself13I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living14Wait for the Lord, act manfully; and let your heart be strengthened, and remain with the Lord
Gospel: Matthew 9.27-31
27And as Jesus passed from there, two blind men followed him, crying out and saying, "Take pity on us, Son of David.28And when he had arrived at the house, the blind men approached him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you trust that I am able to do this for you?" They say to him, "Certainly, Lord.29Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith, so let it be done for you.30And their eyes were opened. And Jesus warned them, saying, "See to it that no one knows of this.31But going out, they spread the news of it to all that land
Sermon
The prophet Isaiah speaks of a profound transformation, where the barren becomes fruitful, the deaf hear, and the blind see, and those who had strayed in spirit will find understanding. It is a vision of God's redemptive work, turning shame into sanctification and giving strength to the meek. This prophetic hope finds its echo in today's Gospel, where two blind men approach Jesus, crying out for mercy and acknowledging him as the Son of David. Jesus directly challenges their faith, asking if they believe he can heal them. Upon their affirmation, he touches their eyes, and immediately, "according to your faith, so let it be done for you," their sight is restored.
The connection between these readings is striking. Isaiah's prophecy of physical and spiritual healing, of the blind seeing and the deaf hearing, is not merely symbolic but finds a literal fulfillment in Christ. Jesus demonstrates that he is the one bringing about the new era foretold by the prophet, where God's transformative power is manifest. For us, these readings serve as a powerful reminder that we too can suffer from spiritual blindness or deafness, unable to perceive God's presence or hear His call in our daily lives. Like the blind men, we are invited to approach Christ with unwavering faith, trusting that He has the power to open our eyes and ears to His truth and grace.
The moral lesson here is one of faith and transformation. The blind men's persistent call for mercy and their firm belief in Jesus' power were essential to their healing. We are called to emulate this steadfast faith, especially when we face challenges that obscure our spiritual vision. When our eyes are opened by Christ, we are empowered to sanctify His name and bear witness to His work, even if it means stepping beyond our comfort zones, much like the healed men who, despite Jesus' instruction, could not help but spread the good news. Our spiritual healing should lead us to share the hope and understanding we have received, guiding those who still wander in spiritual darkness.