Daily Readings - Wed Dec 05 2018
Isaiah
6And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.7And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.8He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.9And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.10For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the dunghill.
Matthew
29And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.30And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:31Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.32Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.33And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?34And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.35And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.36And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.37And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on God’s abundant love and care for His people. In the First Reading from Isaiah, we hear a beautiful vision of a future where God will remove the veil of death and wipe away every tear. This passage is part of Isaiah’s larger vision of the messianic age, where God will restore His people and bring them to a mountain feast, symbolizing His victory over suffering and death. It is a message of hope, reminding us that even in the darkest times, God’s plan for our salvation is at work.
In the Gospel, Matthew describes Jesus’ compassion for the crowds who have followed Him for three days. Seeing their physical and spiritual needs, Jesus performs a miracle, feeding them with just seven loaves and a few fish. This miracle, similar to the feeding of the 5,000 earlier in Matthew’s Gospel, shows Jesus’ divine power and His care for both the body and the soul. The leftovers, filling seven baskets, symbolize God’s abundance and generosity. This passage reminds us that Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s vision, the one who brings life, healing, and nourishment to all people.
These readings call us to trust in God’s providence and to live with compassion. Just as Jesus saw the needs of the crowd and acted, we are called to see the needs of those around us and respond with love. In our daily lives, we may face moments of scarcity or doubt, but the Gospel assures us that God can multiply even the little we have. Let us ask for the faith to trust in His abundance and the courage to share what we have with others. May we, like Jesus, be instruments of hope and healing in a world that often feels broken and in need.