Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 6, 2025
First Reading: Isaiah 30.19-21, 23-26
19For the people of Zion will live in Jerusalem. Bitterly, you will not weep. Mercifully, he will take pity on you. At the voice of your outcry, as soon as he hears, he will respond to you20And the Lord will give you thick bread and accessible water. And he will not cause your teacher to fly away from you anymore. And your eyes will behold your instructor21And your ears will listen to the word of one admonishing you behind your back: "This is the way! Walk in it! And do not turn aside, neither to the right, nor to the left.23And wherever you sow seed upon the earth, rain will be given to the seed. And bread from the grain of the earth will be very plentiful and full. In that day, the lamb will pasture in the spacious land of your possession24And your bulls, and the colts of the donkeys that work the ground, will eat a mix of grains like that winnowed on the threshing floor25And there will be, on every lofty mountain, and on every elevated hill, rivers of running water, in the day of the slaughter of many, when the tower will fall26And the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, like the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord will bind the wound of his people, and when he will heal the stroke of their scourge
Psalm 147
1Alleluia. Praise the Lord, because the psalm is good. Delightful and beautiful praise shall be for our God2The Lord builds up Jerusalem. He will gather together the dispersed of Israel3He heals the contrite of heart, and he binds up their sorrows4He numbers the multitude of the stars, and he calls them all by their names5Great is our Lord, and great is his virtue. And of his wisdom, there is no number6The Lord lifts up the meek, but he brings down the sinner, even to the ground7Sing before the Lord with confession. Play psalms to our God on a stringed instrument8He covers heaven with clouds, and he prepares rain for the earth. He produces grass on the mountains and herbs for the service of men9He gives their food to beasts of burden and to young ravens that call upon him10He will not have good will for the strength of the horse, nor will he be well pleased with the legs of a man11The Lord is well pleased with those who fear him and with those who hope in his mercy12Alleluia. Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem. Praise your God, O Zion13For he has reinforced the bars of your gates. He has blessed your sons within you14He has stationed peace at your borders, and he has satisfied you with the fat of the grain15He sends forth his eloquence to the earth. His word runs swiftly16He provides snow like wool. He strews clouds like ashes17He sends his ice crystals like morsels. Who can stand firm before the face of his cold18He will send forth his word, and it will melt them. His Spirit will breathe out, and the waters will flow19He announces his word to Jacob, his justices and his judgments to Israel20He has not done so much for every nation, and he has not made his judgments manifest to them. Alleluia
Gospel: Matthew 9.35 – 10.1, 5a, 6-8
35And Jesus traveled throughout all of the cities and towns, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every illness and every infirmity36Then, seeing the multitudes, he had compassion on them, because they were distressed and were reclining, like sheep without a shepherd37Then he said to his disciples: "The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few38Therefore, petition the Lord of the harvest, so that he may sent out laborers to his harvest.
1And having called together his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to cure every sickness and every infirmity5Jesus sent these twelve, instructing them, saying: "Do not travel by the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter into the city of the Samaritans6but instead go to the sheep who have fallen away from the house of Israel7And going forth, preach, saying: ‘For the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.8Cure the infirm, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You have received freely, so give freely
Sermon
The prophet Isaiah paints a vivid picture of divine restoration and abundant grace for God's people. He foresees a time when suffering will cease, lamentation will turn to joy, and the Lord will provide both material sustenance—plentiful bread and water—and profound spiritual guidance. A teacher will appear, constantly reminding them, "This is the way! Walk in it! And do not turn aside." This vision offers immense hope, promising healing and an overflowing prosperity, a sign of God's deep mercy. This ancient promise finds its echo and fulfillment in the Gospel of Matthew, where we witness Jesus traveling through towns, teaching, preaching the Good News, and healing every affliction. He sees the crowds, like "sheep without a shepherd," and his heart is moved with compassion. Recognizing the vast need, he urges his disciples to pray for more laborers for the harvest, before empowering them with his own authority to cast out demons and cure all sickness, sending them to the lost sheep of Israel to proclaim that the Kingdom of heaven has drawn near.
Isaiah's prophecy of a guiding teacher who will show "the way" comes to life in Christ himself, and subsequently, in the mission he entrusts to his apostles. Just as God promised to bind the wounds of his people, Jesus actively heals and brings restoration, extending this ministry through his chosen ones. We, too, are often those "sheep without a shepherd," seeking direction amidst the complexities of life, longing for healing, and hungering for spiritual nourishment. The voice that says, "This is the way! Walk in it!" is spoken through the teachings of Christ and the living tradition of the Church. Moreover, Jesus's call for laborers and his commissioning of the twelve remind us that we are not merely passive recipients of grace, but active participants in the Kingdom. We are called to be instruments of his compassion in the world, sharing the gifts we have "received freely" by offering kindness, comfort, and the hope of the Gospel to those around us.
These readings invite us to cultivate a deep trust in God's abiding presence and His merciful provision. He promises to be our constant guide, to heal our wounds, and to sustain us. Yet, they also challenge us to move beyond our own needs and to actively embody the compassion of Christ for a world that remains distressed and in need of guidance. We are encouraged to listen for the voice that directs us, to walk diligently in the way of the Lord, and to respond to the urgent call to be laborers in His vast harvest. By sharing our gifts, by praying for others, and by striving to bring healing and hope to those who suffer, we participate in the unfolding of God's Kingdom, a kingdom of abundance, light, and unending grace.