Daily Readings - Thu Dec 16 2021
Isaiah
1"Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband," says the LORD.2"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.3For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.4"Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.5For your Maker is your husband- the LORD Almighty is his name- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.6The LORD will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit- a wife who married young, only to be rejected," says your God.7"For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back.8In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the LORD your Redeemer.9"To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.10Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
Luke
24After John's messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?25If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces.26But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.27This is the one about whom it is written: "'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'28I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."29(All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptized by John.30But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages of hope and humility. The first reading from Isaiah 54 speaks to a people in exile, offering comfort and the promise of restoration. Jerusalem, personified as a barren woman, is assured of God's enduring mercy and the expansion of His people, symbolized by an ever-enlarging tent. This passage, written after the Babylonian exile, reminds us that even in despair, God's faithfulness endures, promising a future filled with life and joy.
The Gospel from Luke 7:24-30 shifts our focus to John the Baptist, whom Jesus praises as the greatest among those born of women. John's role as a prophet and precursor to Christ is emphasized, yet Jesus notes that even the least in the kingdom surpasses John. This highlights the transition from the Old Covenant to the New, where humility and openness to God's will are paramount. The people's acceptance of John's baptism contrasts with the Pharisees' rejection, underscoring the importance of responding to God's plan with humility.
Together, these readings invite us to trust in God's mercy and remain open to His will. Like Isaiah's barren woman, we are called to embrace hope despite challenges. Like John the Baptist, we are to humble ourselves, recognizing our role within God's larger plan. May we, in our daily lives, reflect this hope and humility, trusting in God's faithfulness and responding with open hearts to His call.