Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 4, 2018
First Reading: Isaiah 11.1-10
1And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: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 of the fear of the LORD;3And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:4But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.5And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.7And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.10And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Psalm 72
1Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.2He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.3The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.4He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.5They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.6He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.7In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.8He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.9They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.10The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.11Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.12For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.13He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.14He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.15And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.16There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.17His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.18Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.19And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.20The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.
Gospel: Luke 10.21-24
21In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.22All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.23And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:24For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful visions of God’s plan for humanity, emphasizing humility, justice, and the revelation of divine truth. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a future filled with peace and harmony, where even natural enemies coexist in tranquility. This messianic vision is rooted in the promise of a leader from the root of Jesse, who will rule with wisdom, justice, and the power of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel from Luke complements this by showing Jesus rejoicing in the Father’s wisdom, who reveals profound truths not to the wise and powerful, but to the simple and humble. Jesus emphasizes that many prophets and kings longed to see what His disciples see, but they did not have the grace of such revelation.
The connection between the readings lies in their shared theme of God’s preference for the lowly and the humble. Isaiah’s vision of a world transformed by justice and peace is not just a distant dream but a reality that begins in the hearts of those who trust in God. Similarly, Luke’s passage reminds us that spiritual truths are not reserved for the elite or the learned but are accessible to those who approach God with childlike faith and openness. Both readings challenge us to embrace humility and simplicity, recognizing that God’s ways are often hidden from the proud but revealed to those who seek Him with a pure heart.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Do we approach God with the humility and openness of a child? Are we willing to trust in His plan, even when it seems mysterious or hidden? The moral lesson here is clear: true wisdom and understanding come not from human knowledge or power but from a deep trust in God’s providence. May we, like the disciples, be blessed to see and hear the wonders of God’s kingdom, and may we live in a way that reflects the justice, peace, and love that He desires for all creation.