Daily Readings - Sat Dec 03 2022
Isaiah
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.
Matthew
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 two profound visions of God's providence and mission. The first, from Isaiah, paints a vivid picture of a restored Zion, where the people live in Jerusalem free from sorrow, with the Lord providing abundantly. The second reading, from Matthew, depicts Jesus ministering to the crowds with compassion, recognizing their need for guidance, and then commissioning His disciples to continue His healing and teaching work.
Isaiah's prophecy is set against the backdrop of a people awaiting deliverance, yearning for a time when their hardships will end and God's blessings will flow freely. This vision of restoration is not just about physical abundance but also spiritual renewal, where the people are guided by God's wisdom. In Matthew, Jesus embodies this divine compassion, healing the sick and preaching the Good News. Seeing the crowds as sheep without a shepherd, He calls His disciples to be laborers in God's harvest, entrusted with spreading the message of the kingdom.
These readings intertwine beautifully, highlighting God's enduring care and the call to serve. Isaiah's promise of restoration finds its fulfillment in Jesus' ministry and the mission of His disciples. Both readings remind us of our role as modern-day disciples, called to trust in God's provision and to serve others with compassion. Just as the disciples were sent to heal and preach, we too are called to bring God's light into the world.
In our daily lives, this means embracing trust in God's plan, even amidst challenges, and recognizing the needs of those around us. We are invited to be laborers in God's harvest, sharing His love and care freely, just as we have received it. Let us strive to be instruments of healing and hope, reflecting the abundant grace and restoration promised by God.