Daily Readings - Wed Dec 06 2017
Isaiah
6On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.7And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.8He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.9It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation."10For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain, and Moab shall be trampled down in his place, as straw is trampled down in a dunghill.
Matthew
29Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there.30And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them,31so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.32Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way."33And the disciples said to him, "Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?"34And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish."35And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground,36he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.37And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on God’s abundant love and care for His people. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a beautiful vision of a feast on Mount Zion, where God will wipe away tears, remove disgrace, and destroy death forever. This passage, written during a time of distress for the people of Israel, offers hope and assurance of a future where God will gather all nations to Himself, providing for their needs and ending suffering. It is a powerful reminder of God’s promise to save and restore His people.
In the Gospel, we see this promise unfolding in the life of Jesus. Matthew describes how Jesus, moved by compassion, feeds a great multitude with just seven loaves and a few fish. This miracle not only satisfies the physical hunger of the people but also reveals Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s vision. Just as God promised to provide for His people on Mount Zion, Jesus provides for those who come to Him, showing His divine power and care for both body and soul. The leftovers, filling seven baskets, symbolize the abundance of God’s grace and the completeness of His provision.
These readings call us to trust in God’s providence and to live with compassion and generosity. Like the disciples who doubted how they could feed such a large crowd, we often feel inadequate in the face of life’s challenges. Yet, Jesus shows us that even the smallest resources, when entrusted to Him, can accomplish great things. Let us ask for the faith to see God’s hand at work in our lives and to share His love with others, especially those in need. May we, like the people in today’s readings, exult in God’s salvation and rejoice in His abundant love.