Daily Catholic Mass Readings for November 29, 2022
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of hope, justice, and the revelation of God’s plan. 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 harmony to the world. This Messiah is not a warrior but a just ruler, anointed by the Spirit of the Lord, who will judge the poor with justice and slay the wicked with the breath of his mouth. Isaiah paints a picture of a world where even natural enemies—like the wolf and the lamb—will live in peace, and where the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord. This is a vision of God’s kingdom, where all creation thrives under the reign of justice and love.
In the Gospel, Luke shares a moment of profound joy and revelation. Jesus rejoices in the Holy Spirit because God has chosen to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom not to the wise and powerful, but to the simple and humble. He emphasizes that true understanding comes not from human wisdom but from the Father’s gracious revelation. Jesus then turns to his disciples and blesses them for being eyewitnesses to the fulfillment of God’s promises, something even the great prophets and kings longed to see but did not. This passage reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways, and His wisdom often upends human expectations.
These readings call us to embrace humility and trust in God’s plan. Isaiah’s vision of harmony and justice challenges us to work toward a world where the vulnerable are protected and creation is at peace. Luke’s account reminds us that true wisdom comes from God, not from human pride or achievement. In our daily lives, we are invited to approach God with a humble and open heart, recognizing that His revelation is a gift given to those who are willing to see and hear. Let us strive to live in harmony with one another and with creation, trusting that God’s kingdom of justice and peace is not just a distant hope but a reality we can help bring to life.