Daily Readings - Wed Dec 06 2017

First Reading - Isaiah 25.6-10a

⁶And the Lord of hosts will cause all the peoples on this mountain to feast on fatness, to feast on wine, a fatness full of marrow, a purified wine⁷And he will cast down violently, on this mountain, the face of the chains, with which all peoples had been bound, and the net, with which all nations had been covered⁸He will violently cast down death forever. And the Lord God will take away the tears from every face, and he will take away the disgrace of his people from the entire earth. For the Lord has spoken it⁹And they will say in that day: "Behold, this is our God! We have waited for him, and he will save us. This is the Lord! We have endured for him. We will exult and rejoice in his salvation.¹⁰For the hand of the Lord will rest upon this mountain. And Moab will be trampled under him, just as stubble is worn away by a wagon

Gospel - Matthew 15.29-37

Matthew

Chapter 15

²⁹And when Jesus had passed from there, he arrived beside the sea of Galilee. And ascending onto a mountain, he sat down there³⁰And great multitudes came to him, having with them the mute, the blind, the lame, the disabled, and many others. And they cast them down at his feet, and he cured them³¹so much so that the crowds wondered, seeing the mute speaking, the lame walking, the blind seeing. And they magnified the God of Israel³²And Jesus, calling together his disciples, said: "I have compassion on the crowds, because they have persevered with me now for three days, and they do not have anything to eat. And I am not willing to dismiss them, fasting, lest they faint along the way.³³And the disciples said to him: "From where, then, in the desert, would we obtain enough bread to satisfy so a great multitude?³⁴And Jesus said to them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" But they said, "Seven, and a few little fish.³⁵And he instructed the crowds to recline upon the ground³⁶And taking the seven loaves and the fish, and giving thanks, he broke and gave to his disciples, and the disciples gave to the people³⁷And they all ate and were satisfied. And, from what was left over of the fragments, they took up seven full baskets

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on God’s abundant love and care for His people. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a beautiful vision of a feast on Mount Zion, where God will wipe away tears, remove disgrace, and destroy death forever. This passage, written during a time of distress for the people of Israel, offers hope and assurance of a future where God will gather all nations to Himself, providing for their needs and ending suffering. It is a powerful reminder of God’s promise to save and restore His people. In the Gospel, we see this promise unfolding in the life of Jesus. Matthew describes how Jesus, moved by compassion, feeds a great multitude with just seven loaves and a few fish. This miracle not only satisfies the physical hunger of the people but also reveals Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s vision. Just as God promised to provide for His people on Mount Zion, Jesus provides for those who come to Him, showing His divine power and care for both body and soul. The leftovers, filling seven baskets, symbolize the abundance of God’s grace and the completeness of His provision. These readings call us to trust in God’s providence and to live with compassion and generosity. Like the disciples who doubted how they could feed such a large crowd, we often feel inadequate in the face of life’s challenges. Yet, Jesus shows us that even the smallest resources, when entrusted to Him, can accomplish great things. Let us ask for the faith to see God’s hand at work in our lives and to share His love with others, especially those in need. May we, like the people in today’s readings, exult in God’s salvation and rejoice in His abundant love.