Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 10, 2025
First Reading: Isaiah 40.25-31
25To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.26Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.27Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?28Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.29He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.30Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:31But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Psalm 103
1Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;4Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;5Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.6The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.7He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.9He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.10He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.11For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.13Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.14For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.15As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.16For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.17But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;18To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.19The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.20Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.21Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.22Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
Gospel: Matthew 11.28-30
Sermon
Today's readings offer profound comfort to souls burdened by the weariness of life. In the first reading, Isaiah reminds a people feeling abandoned and without hope that the Lord is the eternal God, who created all things and never grows weary or faint. He is incomparable in power and wisdom, and He promises to renew the strength of those who hope in Him, enabling them to soar like eagles, run without tiring, and walk without faltering. The Gospel presents Jesus extending a tender invitation: "Come to me, all you who labor and have been burdened, and I will refresh you." He offers His yoke, which is sweet, and His burden, which is light, promising rest for our souls if we learn from His meek and humble heart.
Both readings speak directly to our human experience of exhaustion and overwhelm, whether from physical labor, emotional stress, or spiritual striving. The exiles in Babylon felt forgotten by God, much like we can feel today when facing insurmountable problems or prolonged suffering. Jesus' invitation in Matthew directly addresses those weighed down by the rigid interpretations of the Law and the general anxieties of existence. He doesn't dismiss our burdens but offers a divine exchange: our heavy, self-imposed or world-imposed loads for His gentle guidance and grace. The connection is clear: the God of Isaiah, who renews the weary, is the very God who, in Jesus, invites us to find ultimate rest and refreshment.
To apply these sacred words to our daily lives means to consciously bring our anxieties, our frustrations, our feelings of inadequacy or spiritual dryness, to the Lord. Instead of trying to carry everything on our own strength, we are called to actively "hope in the Lord," trusting in His inexhaustible power and wisdom, rather than our own limited resources. Coming to Jesus means entrusting Him with what weighs us down, accepting His meekness and humility as a model for our own hearts, and embracing His teachings as a "light burden" that leads to true freedom and peace. It is in this surrender and reliance on Him that we truly find rest for our souls and renewed strength to navigate life's challenges, rising above them with a spirit revitalized by divine grace.