Daily Readings - Thu Dec 01 2022
Isaiah
1In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; God makes salvation its walls and ramparts.2Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.3You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.4Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.5He humbles those who dwell on high, he lays the lofty city low; he levels it to the ground and casts it down to the dust.6Feet trample it down- the feet of the oppressed, the footsteps of the poor.
Matthew
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the foundation of our faith and the trust we place in God. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a canticle of hope and trust in the Lord, who is the ultimate source of strength and peace. The prophet describes a city of strength, Zion, where the just and truthful people dwell. He emphasizes that true security comes not from human efforts but from trusting in God, who humbles the proud and lifts up the lowly. This passage reminds us that our hope is not in earthly powers or fleeting successes but in the eternal and unshakable God.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the importance of living out our faith in action. He says that not everyone who calls Him "Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of His Father. Jesus then uses the parable of the two builders: the wise man who builds his house on rock and the foolish man who builds on sand. The house on rock withstands the storms of life because it is founded on a firm foundation—listening to and living out Jesus' teachings. This parable challenges us to examine the foundation of our own lives. Are we merely hearing the Word of God, or are we putting it into practice?
These readings call us to trust in God’s providence and to build our lives on the solid rock of His teachings. In a world filled with uncertainty and challenges, we are reminded that true peace and security come from living in harmony with God’s will. Let us ask ourselves: Am I placing my trust in the Lord, or am I relying on my own strength? Am I building my life on the rock of faith, or am I settling for the shifting sands of worldly priorities? May we strive to be wise builders, rooted in prayer, virtue, and a commitment to living out the Gospel in our daily lives.