Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 10, 2025
First Reading: Isaiah 40.25-31
25"And to whom would you compare me or equate me?" says the Holy One26Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things. He leads forth their army by number, and he calls them all by name. Because of the fullness of his strength and robustness and virtue, not one of them was left behind27Why do you say this, O Jacob, and why do you speak this way, O Israel? "My way has been hidden from the Lord, and my judgment escaped notice by my God.28Do you not know, or have you not heard? The Lord is the eternal God, who has created the limits of the earth. He does not diminish, and he does not struggle. Neither is his wisdom searchable29It is he who gives strength to the weary, and it is he who increases fortitude and strength in those who are failing30Servants will struggle and fail, and young men will fall into infirmity31But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will take up wings like eagles. They will run and not struggle. They will walk and not tire
Psalm 103
1To David himself. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and bless his holy name, all that is within me2Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his recompenses3He forgives all your iniquities. He heals all your infirmities4He redeems your life from destruction. He crowns you with mercy and compassion5He satisfies your desire with good things. Your youth will be renewed like that of the eagle6The Lord accomplishes mercies, and his judgment is for all who patiently endure injuries7He has made his ways known to Moses, his will to the sons of Israel8The Lord is compassionate and merciful, patient and full of mercy9He will not be angry forever, and he will not threaten for eternity10He has not dealt with us according to our sins, and he has not repaid us according to our iniquities11For according to the height of the heavens above the earth, so has he reinforced his mercy toward those who fear him12As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our iniquities from us13As a father is compassionate to his sons, so has the Lord been compassionate to those who fear him14For he knows our form. He has called to mind that we are dust15Man: his days are like hay. Like the flower of the field, so will he flourish16For the spirit in him will pass away, and it will not remain, and he will know his place no longer17But the mercy of the Lord is from eternity, and even unto eternity, upon those who fear him. And his justice is with the sons of the sons18with those who serve his covenant and have been mindful of his commandments by doing them19The Lord has prepared his throne in heaven, and his kingdom will rule over all20Bless the Lord, all you his Angels: powerful in virtue, doing his word, in order to heed the voice of his discourse21Bless the Lord, all his hosts: his ministers who do his will22Bless the Lord, all his works: in every place of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul
Gospel: Matthew 11.28-30
Sermon
Today's readings offer profound comfort to souls burdened by the weariness of life. In the first reading, Isaiah reminds a people feeling abandoned and without hope that the Lord is the eternal God, who created all things and never grows weary or faint. He is incomparable in power and wisdom, and He promises to renew the strength of those who hope in Him, enabling them to soar like eagles, run without tiring, and walk without faltering. The Gospel presents Jesus extending a tender invitation: "Come to me, all you who labor and have been burdened, and I will refresh you." He offers His yoke, which is sweet, and His burden, which is light, promising rest for our souls if we learn from His meek and humble heart.
Both readings speak directly to our human experience of exhaustion and overwhelm, whether from physical labor, emotional stress, or spiritual striving. The exiles in Babylon felt forgotten by God, much like we can feel today when facing insurmountable problems or prolonged suffering. Jesus' invitation in Matthew directly addresses those weighed down by the rigid interpretations of the Law and the general anxieties of existence. He doesn't dismiss our burdens but offers a divine exchange: our heavy, self-imposed or world-imposed loads for His gentle guidance and grace. The connection is clear: the God of Isaiah, who renews the weary, is the very God who, in Jesus, invites us to find ultimate rest and refreshment.
To apply these sacred words to our daily lives means to consciously bring our anxieties, our frustrations, our feelings of inadequacy or spiritual dryness, to the Lord. Instead of trying to carry everything on our own strength, we are called to actively "hope in the Lord," trusting in His inexhaustible power and wisdom, rather than our own limited resources. Coming to Jesus means entrusting Him with what weighs us down, accepting His meekness and humility as a model for our own hearts, and embracing His teachings as a "light burden" that leads to true freedom and peace. It is in this surrender and reliance on Him that we truly find rest for our souls and renewed strength to navigate life's challenges, rising above them with a spirit revitalized by divine grace.