Daily Readings - Thu Jul 14 2022
Isaiah
7The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.8Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee.9With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.12LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.16LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.17Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.18We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.19Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the journey of trust and hope in the midst of life’s challenges. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear the voice of a people enduring hardship and yearning for God’s justice and peace. The prophet describes the upright path of the just, which is not always easy, but it is the path that aligns with God’s will. The people have suffered, cried out in anguish, and even felt as though their efforts to bring about salvation have been in vain. Yet, amidst this tribulation, there is a glimmer of hope: the promise that God will bring life out of death, and that His people will rise again. The passage reminds us that our struggles are not without purpose, and that God’s plan is always at work, even when we cannot see it clearly.
In the Gospel, Jesus offers a comforting invitation to all who are weary and burdened. He calls us to come to Him, to take on His yoke, and to learn from His meekness and humility. Jesus promises rest for our souls, not because the journey will become easy, but because His yoke is sweet and His burden is light. This is not a promise to remove our struggles, but rather to transform the way we carry them. By trusting in Jesus and following His example, we can find peace in the midst of life’s storms.
These readings are deeply connected. Both Isaiah and Jesus remind us that faith is not about avoiding difficulties but about trusting God in the midst of them. When we feel overwhelmed, we are called to turn to God, to lean on His wisdom, and to embrace the humility that allows us to see His plan unfolding. In our daily lives, this means surrendering our need to control everything and instead learning to walk in trust, even when the path is uncertain. Let us remember that our struggles are not in vain, and that God’s peace is always within reach when we yoke ourselves to Him. May we, like the people in Isaiah, hold fast to hope, and may we, like the disciples, find rest in Jesus.