Daily Readings - Mon Dec 04 2017

First Reading - Isaiah 2.1-5

¹The word that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem²And in the last days, the mountain of the house of the Lord will be prepared at the summit of the mountains, and it will be exalted above the hills, and all the nations shall flow to it³And many peoples will go, and they will say: "Let us approach and ascend to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob. And he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For the law will go forth from Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem⁴And he will judge the nations, and he will rebuke many peoples. And they shall forge their swords into plowshares, and their spears into sickles. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they continue to train for battle⁵O house of Jacob, let us approach and walk in the light of the Lord

Gospel - Matthew 8.5-11, 13

Matthew

Chapter 8

⁵And when he had entered into Capernaum, a centurion approached, petitioning him⁶and saying, "Lord, my servant lies at home paralyzed and badly tormented.⁷And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him.⁸And responding, the centurion said: "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed⁹For I, too, am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.¹⁰And, hearing this, Jesus wondered. And he said to those following him: "Amen I say to you, I have not found so great a faith in Israel¹¹For I say to you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and they shall sit at table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven¹³And Jesus said to the centurion, "Go, and just as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And the servant was healed at that very hour

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the universal call to faith and the ultimate vision of peace and unity that God desires for humanity. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a prophetic vision of a future where all nations will stream to the mountain of the Lord, seeking his ways and walking in his paths. This vision is one of harmony and peace, where weapons of war are transformed into tools for cultivation, and conflict gives way to cooperation. Isaiah’s words, spoken in a time of turmoil and division, remind us that God’s plan for the world is one of unity and reconciliation. In the Gospel, we encounter a centurion whose faith astonishes Jesus. This Roman officer, a representative of an occupying power, humbly recognizes Jesus’ authority and trusts in his power to heal his servant. The centurion’s words, “I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,” reveal a deep humility and understanding of his place before God. Jesus’ response highlights the universality of God’s mercy, as he declares that many from the east and the west will sit at table with the patriarchs in the kingdom of heaven. This exchange underscores that faith is not limited to a particular people or place but is open to all who trust in God’s Word. These readings challenge us to examine our own faith and our openness to God’s universal plan. Like the centurion, we are called to humility and trust, recognizing that God’s grace is not confined to our own circle but extends to all people. Isaiah’s vision reminds us that our ultimate goal is a world where division gives way to unity and where all people can walk in the light of the Lord. Let us strive to live out this vision in our daily lives, embracing the diversity of God’s creation and trusting in his providence. May our faith, like the centurion’s, be a source of hope and healing, not only for ourselves but for the world around us.