Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 9, 2021
First Reading: Isaiah 41.13-20
13For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.14Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.15Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.16Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.17When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.18I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.19I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:20That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.
Psalm 145
1I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.2Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.3Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.4One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.5I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.6And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.7They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.8The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.9The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.10All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.11They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;12To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.13Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.14The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.15The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.16Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.17The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.18The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.19He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.20The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.21My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
Gospel: Matthew 11.11-15
11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.12And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.14And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.15He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of trust, transformation, and the call to live with courage and perseverance in our faith. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear words of comfort and hope addressed to a people who feel weak and insignificant. God reassures them, “Do not be afraid, for I am the Lord your God who takes you by the hand.” This passage is set in the context of Israel’s exile, where the people are struggling with despair and doubt. Isaiah reminds them that God is their Redeemer, who will not abandon them but will bring about a dramatic transformation, turning deserts into gardens and providing water in the parched land. This is a powerful image of God’s fidelity and His ability to bring life out of barrenness.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks about John the Baptist, describing him as the greatest among those born of women, yet emphasizing that even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John. This statement highlights the radical shift that the kingdom of heaven brings. John, as the last of the prophets, prepared the way for the Messiah, but the kingdom itself is a new and greater reality. Jesus also warns that the kingdom has endured violence, meaning that it demands a radical commitment and struggle to live according to its values. This is a call to us to embrace the challenges of following Christ with courage and determination.
Both readings remind us that our faith is not about passivity but about trust and action. Isaiah calls us to trust in God’s power to transform even the most difficult situations, while the Gospel challenges us to live with the boldness and perseverance of John the Baptist. In our daily lives, we are invited to let go of fear and to embrace the transformative power of God. Like the people in the desert, we may face dry and barren moments, but we are called to trust that God can bring new life and hope. Let us also remember that living the Gospel requires us to be courageous and steadfast, even in the face of challenges. May we, like John the Baptist, be willing to prepare the way for the Lord in our own lives and in the world around us.