Daily Readings - Fri Dec 15 2023
Isaiah
17Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.18O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:19Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.
Matthew
16But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,17And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil.19The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we hear two powerful messages about God’s guidance and humanity’s response to it. The first reading from Isaiah reminds us that God is our Redeemer and Teacher, who desires to lead us on the right path. Isaiah laments that if only the people had listened to God’s commandments, they would have experienced peace and justice in abundance. The prophet paints a vivid picture of the blessings that could have been theirs—offspring as countless as the sand and a name that would endure forever. Yet, the people’s failure to heed God’s word leads to loss and regret.
The Gospel from Matthew offers a complementary reflection. Jesus compares the current generation to stubborn children who refuse to respond to God’s messengers. John the Baptist came as an ascetic, fasting and avoiding worldly pleasures, yet people accused him of having a demon. Jesus, on the other hand, came eating and drinking, and people criticized him for being a glutton and a friend of sinners. Jesus’ point is clear: no matter how God’s messengers come—whether through austerity or through fellowship—some will always find a reason to reject them. Yet, Jesus affirms that true wisdom is vindicated by its fruits, not by the opinions of others.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own response to God’s call. Like the Israelites in Isaiah’s time, we often fail to listen to God’s commandments, and like the Pharisees in Jesus’ time, we can be quick to judge and slow to discern. Today’s readings call us to humility and openness. Let us ask ourselves: Am I truly listening to God’s voice in my life? Am I open to His guidance, whether it comes through words of challenge or through acts of love? May we learn to trust in God’s wisdom and to follow His path, even when it goes against the expectations of the world.