Daily Readings - Wed Dec 04 2019
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
In today's readings, we encounter two profound expressions of God's abundant provision and care. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a future feast on Mount Zion, where God will wipe away tears and destroy death, offering a vision of eternal salvation and joy. This passage, written during a time of turmoil for Israel, looks forward to a messianic era where God's people will find comfort and celebration. The second reading from Matthew illustrates Jesus' compassion as he heals the sick and feeds a multitude with just seven loaves and a few fish, demonstrating divine providence and the fulfillment of spiritual and physical needs.
Both readings highlight God's generosity and care. Isaiah's feast is a spiritual banquet, symbolizing the ultimate salvation through Christ, while Matthew's account shows Jesus addressing both the physical and spiritual hunger of the crowd. This dual focus reminds us that our faith must nurture both our souls and our bodies, trusting in God's provision in all aspects of life.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to trust in God's faithfulness, even in times of scarcity or doubt. Just as Jesus multiplied the loaves, He can transform our limited resources into abundance. We are called to emulate His compassion, caring for others' needs and trusting in His divine plan. The moral lesson here is one of faith and compassion: trust in God's provision and extend His love to others, just as He does for us.