Daily Readings - Thu Dec 14 2017
Isaiah
13For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I am the one who helps you."14Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I am the one who helps you, declares the LORD; your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.15Behold, I make of you a threshing sledge, new, sharp, and having teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and crush them, and you shall make the hills like chaff;16you shall winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the tempest shall scatter them. And you shall rejoice in the LORD; in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory.17When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.18I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.19I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive. I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together,20that they may see and know, may consider and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it.
Matthew
11Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.12From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.13For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John,14and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.15He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages of hope, transformation, and the call to faith. The passage from Isaiah 41:13-20 offers comfort, urging us not to fear as God promises to transform desolate places into sources of life, symbolizing His power to renew and restore. The Gospel from Matthew 11:11-15 highlights John the Baptist's pivotal role as a bridge between the Old and New Covenants, emphasizing the shift from prophecy to the fulfillment in Christ. Jesus notes the struggle in living out faith, yet affirms that even the least in the kingdom holds a great place.
Both readings connect through the theme of trust in God's plan. Isaiah's assurance of restoration and Matthew's focus on the kingdom's arrival remind us to trust God's providence, even amidst challenges. The transformation promised in Isaiah is fulfilled in Christ, as John the Baptist prepares the way for the Messiah, illustrating the transition from anticipation to realization.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to embrace faith courageously. Just as God transforms deserts into pools, He can bring life to our barren areas. Trusting in His plan, we are empowered to face struggles with hope, knowing that our faith, though small, is part of a greater divine narrative. Let us live with trust and faith, allowing God's transformative power to guide us through life's trials.