Daily Readings - Wed Dec 04 2019
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
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.