Daily Readings - Thu Dec 06 2018
Isaiah
1In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.2Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in.3You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.4Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.5For he has humbled the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city. He lays it low, lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust.6The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy."
Matthew
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.24"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.25And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.26And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.27And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of trust, fidelity, and the sure foundation of God’s promises. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a canticle of hope and trust in the Lord. The prophet describes a city of strength, Zion, where the just and the faithful enter through the gates. He reminds us that true peace comes from hoping in God and trusting in His eternal providence. The passage also warns against pride and arrogance, as the lofty city will be brought low, while the poor and the humble will find their footing on the solid ground of God’s justice.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the importance of living out our faith in action. He warns that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of His Father. Jesus then uses the parable of the wise and foolish builders to illustrate this point. The wise builder, who hears His words and acts on them, constructs his house on the rock, and it stands firm against the storms of life. The foolish builder, who hears but does not act, builds on sand, and his house collapses. This parable reminds us that our faith must be rooted in action, not just words.
These readings call us to examine our lives and ensure that we are building our spiritual houses on the rock of God’s word. Like the just and faithful in Isaiah, we must trust in the Lord and live according to His will. Like the wise builder in Matthew, we must hear God’s word and put it into practice. In a world filled with uncertainties, let us turn to the Lord, who is our strength and our peace. Let us strive to live humbly, trusting in His providence and building our lives on the solid foundation of His teachings. In doing so, we will find true peace and stability, even in the midst of life’s storms.