Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 2, 2025
First Reading: Isaiah 11.1-10
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.
Psalm 72
1Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.2He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.3The mountains will bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness.4He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.5He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations.6He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.7In his days the righteous will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is no more.8He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.9The desert tribes will bow before him and his enemies will lick the dust.10The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts.11All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him.12For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.13He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death.14He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.15Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long.16Let grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon; let it thrive like the grass of the field.17May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.18Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.19Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.20This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
Gospel: Luke 10.21-24
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
Today's readings paint a powerful picture of God's plan for humanity. Isaiah, with prophetic vision, foretells the coming of a righteous king, a shoot from the root of Jesse, upon whom the Spirit of the Lord will rest, endowing him with wisdom, understanding, and all virtues. This king will judge the poor with justice and bring about an astonishing era of peace, where even natural enemies like the wolf and lamb will coexist in harmony. In the Gospel, we see Jesus himself exulting in the Holy Spirit, praising the Father for revealing profound truths not to the world's "wise and prudent," but to "little ones" – the humble and receptive. He then blesses his disciples, affirming their unique privilege to witness what many prophets and kings of old longed to see: the very unfolding of God's kingdom in his person and ministry.
These two passages speak to each other across centuries, revealing the continuity of God's saving work. Jesus is clearly the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, the one upon whom the Spirit rests without measure, the promised Messiah. Both readings highlight God's preference for humility and sincere hearts. Isaiah's king judges the meek with fairness, while Jesus reveals his Father's truths to the "little ones." This isn't a condemnation of intellect, but a reminder that true wisdom comes from God and is received through openness and a humble spirit, not through human pride or worldly cleverness. The disciples, by being present with Jesus, are experiencing the dawn of that glorious age of peace and knowledge of the Lord that Isaiah so vividly described.
For us, these readings are an invitation to examine our own hearts. Are we among the "little ones," receptive to God's truth, or do we rely too heavily on our own understanding? We are called to cultivate a humility that allows divine wisdom to penetrate our lives, shaping our discernment and our actions. Just as the Spirit empowered the Messiah to judge with justice, we too are called to be agents of fairness and peace in our daily interactions, extending compassion to the poor and meek. In a world often characterized by conflict and injustice, Isaiah's vision of universal peace and Jesus's message of revelation to the humble offer us profound hope and a clear path to participate in the ongoing work of God's kingdom, trusting that He continues to reveal Himself to those who are open to Him.