Daily Readings - Thu Dec 15 2022
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on hope, trust, and the surprising ways God works in our lives. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a message of consolation and restoration. The prophet speaks to a people in exile, feeling abandoned and barren, but he assures them that God will not only restore them but also bless them abundantly. The imagery of the tent being enlarged and the desolate cities being inhabited signifies God’s faithfulness and the promise of new life. This passage reminds us that even in times of despair, God’s mercy and love are always at work, preparing a future filled with hope.
In the Gospel, Jesus praises John the Baptist as a prophet and more than a prophet, for he is the one who prepares the way for the Lord. Jesus emphasizes that John’s role is not just to point to himself but to point to the One who is to come. This teaches us about humility and trust in God’s plan. John’s humility and faithfulness in his mission are a model for us. The Pharisees and scholars of the law, however, reject John’s message, showing us the danger of pride and hardness of heart. Jesus reminds us that even the least in the kingdom of God is greater than John, not because of their own merits, but because they have accepted the grace of God’s kingdom.
These readings call us to trust in God’s plan, even when it seems unclear or difficult. Like the exiles in Isaiah, we may feel barren or forsaken at times, but God is always working to bring new life and hope. Like John the Baptist, we are called to be faithful in our mission, pointing others to Christ with humility and joy. Let us ask for the grace to trust in God’s mercy, to embrace humility, and to open our hearts to the surprises of His kingdom. May we, like the tax collectors and the people in the Gospel, justify God by embracing His plan and living with faith and gratitude.