Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 4, 2021
First Reading: Isaiah 30.19-21, 23-26
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.
Psalm 147
1Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!2The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel.3He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.4He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.5Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.6The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.7Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp.8He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.9He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call.10His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man;11the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.12Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion,13for he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you.14He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.15He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.16He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes.17He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast?18He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.19He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel.20He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the LORD.
Gospel: Matthew 9.35 – 10.1, 5a, 6-8
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
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful themes of hope, healing, and mission. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a restored Zion, where God’s people live in abundance and peace. The prophet describes a time when the Lord will provide for all needs, both physical and spiritual, and when His people will no longer suffer but instead flourish under His care. This vision is not just a distant promise but a call to trust in God’s providence and to remain faithful even in times of hardship.
The Gospel reading from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus, who embodies this divine compassion and care. Jesus travels through cities and towns, teaching, preaching, and healing, moved by the sight of people who are “distressed and lying like sheep without a shepherd.” His response is not only to meet their physical needs but also to address their spiritual hunger. Recognizing the vastness of the need, Jesus calls his disciples to join him in this mission, sending them out to preach, heal, and bring hope to those who have wandered away from God. This passage reminds us that we, too, are called to be instruments of God’s healing and love in the world.
These readings are deeply connected. Isaiah’s vision of restoration finds its fulfillment in Jesus, who inaugurates the kingdom of heaven through his ministry. Just as God promised to send teachers and healers to his people, Jesus sends his disciples—and by extension, us—to continue his work. The moral lesson here is clear: we are called to trust in God’s plan, to be compassionate as Christ is compassionate, and to step out in faith to serve others. In our daily lives, this means looking for opportunities to bring light, hope, and healing to those around us, whether through a kind word, a listening ear, or a helping hand. Let us embrace this mission with joy, remembering that we do not labor alone but are accompanied by the Lord, who multiplies our efforts and brings fruit to our work.