Daily Readings - Tue Dec 03 2024
Isaiah
1And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:2And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;3And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:4But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.5And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.7And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.10And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Luke
21In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.22All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.23And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:24For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Sermon
The readings today offer us a vision of God’s plan for humanity and invite us to reflect on the nature of divine revelation and humility. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a beautiful description of the Messiah, who will come from the root of Jesse. This Messiah is filled with the Spirit of the Lord, bringing wisdom, justice, and peace. Isaiah paints a picture of a world where even predators and prey live in harmony, and the earth is filled with the knowledge of God. This is a vision of God’s kingdom, where justice and peace reign supreme.
In the Gospel, Luke shares a moment where Jesus rejoices in the Holy Spirit. He thanks the Father for revealing divine truths not to the wise and powerful, but to the simple and humble. Jesus emphasizes that the relationship between the Father and the Son is unique, and that the Son reveals the Father to those who are open to receiving this gift. He then blesses his disciples, acknowledging that they are privileged to see and hear things that many prophets and kings longed to experience but could not.
These readings remind us that God’s ways are not our ways, and that divine truth is often revealed to those who are humble and open-hearted. Isaiah’s vision of the Messiah and Jesus’ words in the Gospel call us to trust in God’s plan and to approach life with humility. In a world that often values power and knowledge, we are invited to embrace simplicity and faith. Let us ask ourselves: Are we open to receiving God’s revelation in our lives? Do we approach God with the humility and trust of a child? May we strive to live in a way that reflects the peace and justice of God’s kingdom, and may our hearts remain open to the Spirit who guides us.