Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 6, 2025
First Reading: Isaiah 30.19-21, 23-26
19For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you.20And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.21And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.23And he will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and bread, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. In that day your livestock will graze in large pastures,24and the oxen and the donkeys that work the ground will eat seasoned fodder, which has been winnowed with shovel and fork.25And on every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks running with water, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.26Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the LORD binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.
Psalm 147
1Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.2The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.3He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.4He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.5Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.6The LORD lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground.7Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre!8He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills.9He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry.10His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man,11but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.12Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!13For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you.14He makes peace in your borders; he fills you with the finest of the wheat.15He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.16He gives snow like wool; he scatters hoarfrost like ashes.17He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold?18He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.19He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel.20He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his rules. Praise the LORD!
Gospel: Matthew 9.35 – 10.1, 5a, 6-8
35And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;38therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
1And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.5These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,6but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.7And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.
Sermon
The prophet Isaiah paints a vivid picture of divine restoration and abundant grace for God's people. He foresees a time when suffering will cease, lamentation will turn to joy, and the Lord will provide both material sustenance—plentiful bread and water—and profound spiritual guidance. A teacher will appear, constantly reminding them, "This is the way! Walk in it! And do not turn aside." This vision offers immense hope, promising healing and an overflowing prosperity, a sign of God's deep mercy. This ancient promise finds its echo and fulfillment in the Gospel of Matthew, where we witness Jesus traveling through towns, teaching, preaching the Good News, and healing every affliction. He sees the crowds, like "sheep without a shepherd," and his heart is moved with compassion. Recognizing the vast need, he urges his disciples to pray for more laborers for the harvest, before empowering them with his own authority to cast out demons and cure all sickness, sending them to the lost sheep of Israel to proclaim that the Kingdom of heaven has drawn near.
Isaiah's prophecy of a guiding teacher who will show "the way" comes to life in Christ himself, and subsequently, in the mission he entrusts to his apostles. Just as God promised to bind the wounds of his people, Jesus actively heals and brings restoration, extending this ministry through his chosen ones. We, too, are often those "sheep without a shepherd," seeking direction amidst the complexities of life, longing for healing, and hungering for spiritual nourishment. The voice that says, "This is the way! Walk in it!" is spoken through the teachings of Christ and the living tradition of the Church. Moreover, Jesus's call for laborers and his commissioning of the twelve remind us that we are not merely passive recipients of grace, but active participants in the Kingdom. We are called to be instruments of his compassion in the world, sharing the gifts we have "received freely" by offering kindness, comfort, and the hope of the Gospel to those around us.
These readings invite us to cultivate a deep trust in God's abiding presence and His merciful provision. He promises to be our constant guide, to heal our wounds, and to sustain us. Yet, they also challenge us to move beyond our own needs and to actively embody the compassion of Christ for a world that remains distressed and in need of guidance. We are encouraged to listen for the voice that directs us, to walk diligently in the way of the Lord, and to respond to the urgent call to be laborers in His vast harvest. By sharing our gifts, by praying for others, and by striving to bring healing and hope to those who suffer, we participate in the unfolding of God's Kingdom, a kingdom of abundance, light, and unending grace.