Daily Readings - Sat Jun 12 2021
Isaiah
9Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed."10I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.11For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.
Luke
41Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover.42When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom.43After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.44Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.45When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.46After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.47Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.48When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."49"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"50But they did not understand what he was saying to them.51Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
Sermon
The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a people who have been blessed by God and who will be recognized among the nations for their offspring and progeny. The prophet describes a scene of rejoicing and exultation, where the people are clothed in the vestments of salvation and wrapped in the clothing of justice. This imagery speaks of a deep transformation, where God’s people are not only restored but also adorned with the beauty of His righteousness. The passage concludes with a promise that just as the earth brings forth its seedlings, so too will God bring forth justice and praise in the sight of all nations.
The Gospel reading from Luke tells the story of the young Jesus, who at the age of twelve, remains in the temple while His parents journey back home. This narrative highlights Jesus’ deep connection to His Father’s work, as He engages with the teachers in the temple, astonishing them with His understanding and responses. When Mary and Joseph finally find Him, Jesus’ response, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” reveals His singular focus on His divine mission. Despite their misunderstanding, Mary keeps these words in her heart, reflecting on the mystery of her Son’s identity and purpose.
Together, these readings invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God and His plan for our lives. Isaiah reminds us that we are called to be a people clothed in salvation and justice, bearing fruit in the sight of all. Luke’s account of the young Jesus challenges us to prioritize our relationship with God, even when it requires setting aside our own plans and expectations. Like Mary, we are called to trust in God’s providence and to keep His words in our hearts, allowing them to guide us in our daily lives. May we, like Jesus, remain faithful to our Father’s will, and may our lives bear witness to His justice and praise.