Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 1, 2020
First Reading: Isaiah 11.1-10
1A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.2The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD -3and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;4but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.5Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.6The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them.7The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.8The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.9They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.10In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious.
Psalm 72
1Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.2He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.3The mountains will bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness.4He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.5He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations.6He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.7In his days the righteous will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is no more.8He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.9The desert tribes will bow before him and his enemies will lick the dust.10The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts.11All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him.12For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.13He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death.14He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.15Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long.16Let grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon; let it thrive like the grass of the field.17May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.18Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.19Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.20This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
Gospel: Luke 10.21-24
21At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.22"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."23Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.24For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
Sermon
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the nature of God’s revelation and the humility required to receive it. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a beautiful vision of the Messiah, a shoot from the root of Jesse, who will bring peace and justice to the world. The Messiah is depicted as one filled with the Spirit of the Lord, who will judge the poor with justice and slay the wicked with the breath of his mouth. Isaiah’s vision is one of harmony, where even natural enemies will live in peace, and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. This passage, written in a time of hope and longing for Israel, reminds us that God’s plan for redemption is one of peace and justice, and that the Messiah will come to fulfill this plan.
In the Gospel, Luke presents Jesus rejoicing in the Holy Spirit for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to the simple and the humble. Jesus acknowledges that while many prophets and kings desired to see and hear what the disciples experience, it is the humble and the little ones who are granted this grace. This passage underscores the theme of humility and trust in God’s plan. Jesus emphasizes that true understanding comes not from human wisdom but from a childlike openness to God’s revelation. The Father’s pleasure is in revealing Himself to those who are willing to receive His truth with a humble heart.
These readings remind us that God’s ways are not our ways, and His wisdom is not the wisdom of the world. The Messiah comes not as a mighty warrior but as a humble servant, bringing peace and justice through the power of the Spirit. For us, this means cultivating humility and openness to God’s Word. In a world often driven by power and knowledge, we are called to trust in God’s plan and to receive His truth with simplicity and faith. Let us ask for the grace to see with the eyes of faith and to hear with the ears of the heart, that we may truly know the Father and the Son, and share in the joy of His revelation.