Daily Readings - Mon Dec 05 2022
Isaiah
1The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus,2it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.3Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way;4say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."5Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.6Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.7The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.8And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it.9No lion will be there, nor will any ferocious beast get up on it; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there,10and the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
Luke
17One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick.18Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus.19When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.20When Jesus saw their faith, he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."21The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"22Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?23Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?24But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."25Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.26Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful visions of redemption and transformation. The Prophet Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a desolate land blossoming into a place of joy and beauty, where the blind see, the deaf hear, and the lame leap. This prophecy speaks to a future time of restoration, where God's people will walk on a holy path, free from fear and harm. It is a message of hope, assuring us that God's transformative power will bring light to darkness and life to barrenness.
In the Gospel, Luke shares a story that embodies this transformation. A paralyzed man, carried by his determined friends, is lowered through a roof to reach Jesus. Jesus, seeing the man's faith, forgives his sins and then heals his body. This act not only showcases Jesus' divine authority but also fulfills the prophecy from Isaiah. Jesus' ministry is one of redemption, where spiritual and physical healing are intertwined. The Pharisees' reaction reminds us that recognizing Jesus' authority often challenges our understanding, yet it is through such moments that we encounter the depth of God's love and power.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to trust in God's transformative power. Just as the paralyzed man and his friends trusted in Jesus, we are called to have faith, even when faced with obstacles. The lesson here is that true healing begins with forgiveness and leads to a life of freedom and joy. As we navigate our own challenges, may we remember that God's redemptive power is always at work, turning desolation into abundance and despair into hope. Let us walk in faith, knowing that we are part of God's holy path, where love and healing guide us every step of the way.