Daily Readings - Tue Dec 03 2024
Isaiah
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.
Luke
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 offer us a vision of God’s plan for humanity and invite us to reflect on the nature of divine revelation and humility. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a beautiful description of the Messiah, who will come from the root of Jesse. This Messiah is filled with the Spirit of the Lord, bringing wisdom, justice, and peace. Isaiah paints a picture of a world where even predators and prey live in harmony, and the earth is filled with the knowledge of God. This is a vision of God’s kingdom, where justice and peace reign supreme.
In the Gospel, Luke shares a moment where Jesus rejoices in the Holy Spirit. He thanks the Father for revealing divine truths not to the wise and powerful, but to the simple and humble. Jesus emphasizes that the relationship between the Father and the Son is unique, and that the Son reveals the Father to those who are open to receiving this gift. He then blesses his disciples, acknowledging that they are privileged to see and hear things that many prophets and kings longed to experience but could not.
These readings remind us that God’s ways are not our ways, and that divine truth is often revealed to those who are humble and open-hearted. Isaiah’s vision of the Messiah and Jesus’ words in the Gospel call us to trust in God’s plan and to approach life with humility. In a world that often values power and knowledge, we are invited to embrace simplicity and faith. Let us ask ourselves: Are we open to receiving God’s revelation in our lives? Do we approach God with the humility and trust of a child? May we strive to live in a way that reflects the peace and justice of God’s kingdom, and may our hearts remain open to the Spirit who guides us.