Daily Readings - Sat Dec 05 2020
Isaiah
19O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you.20Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them.21Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."23He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will graze in broad meadows.24The oxen and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder and mash, spread out with fork and shovel.25In the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall, streams of water will flow on every high mountain and every lofty hill.26The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the LORD binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted.
Matthew
35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
1He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.5These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.6Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.7As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Sermon
The readings today offer us a vision of hope and healing, intertwined with a call to mission. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear of a time when God’s people will be restored, their suffering will end, and they will live in abundance and peace. The prophet paints a vivid picture of a world transformed, where the light of the moon and sun will shine brightly, symbolizing the fullness of God’s presence and healing. This passage reminds us that even in our darkest moments, God’s promise of renewal and restoration is always before us. It is a message of trust in God’s plan and timing.
In the Gospel, Matthew shows us Jesus, moved by compassion for the crowds who are “distressed and lying like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus sees the great need around him and responds by sending out his disciples to continue his work of healing and proclamation. This passage challenges us to see the world through the eyes of Christ—eyes that see the brokenness and the potential for transformation. Jesus’ instruction to his disciples to “go and preach” reminds us that we, too, are called to be laborers in God’s harvest. We are invited to step out in faith, trusting that God will provide the grace and strength we need to serve others.
These readings remind us that our faith is not just about waiting for God’s future promises; it is also about participating in his work here and now. Like the disciples, we are called to be instruments of healing and hope in a world that often feels lost and without direction. Let us ask ourselves: How can we respond to Jesus’ call today? How can we share his love and light with those around us? May we trust in God’s plan, embrace our mission, and walk in faith, knowing that he is always with us, guiding and sustaining us.