Daily Readings - Tue Nov 29 2022
Isaiah
1There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.2And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.3And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,4but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.5Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.6The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.7The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.8The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.9They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.10In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples--of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.
Luke
21In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.22All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."23Then turning to the disciples he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!24For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of hope, justice, and the revelation of God’s plan. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a beautiful vision of the Messiah, a shoot from the root of Jesse, who will bring peace and harmony to the world. This Messiah is not a warrior but a just ruler, anointed by the Spirit of the Lord, who will judge the poor with justice and slay the wicked with the breath of his mouth. Isaiah paints a picture of a world where even natural enemies—like the wolf and the lamb—will live in peace, and where the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. This is a vision of God’s kingdom, where all creation thrives under the reign of justice and love.
In the Gospel, Luke shares a moment of profound joy and revelation. Jesus rejoices in the Holy Spirit because God has chosen to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom not to the wise and powerful, but to the simple and humble. He emphasizes that true understanding comes not from human wisdom but from the Father’s gracious revelation. Jesus then turns to his disciples and blesses them for being eyewitnesses to the fulfillment of God’s promises, something even the great prophets and kings longed to see but did not. This passage reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways, and His wisdom often upends human expectations.
These readings call us to embrace humility and trust in God’s plan. Isaiah’s vision of harmony and justice challenges us to work toward a world where the vulnerable are protected and creation is at peace. Luke’s account reminds us that true wisdom comes from God, not from human pride or achievement. In our daily lives, we are invited to approach God with a humble and open heart, recognizing that His revelation is a gift given to those who are willing to see and hear. Let us strive to live in harmony with one another and with creation, trusting that God’s kingdom of justice and peace is not just a distant hope but a reality we can help bring to life.