Daily Readings - Wed Dec 13 2017

First Reading - Isaiah 40.25-31

²⁵"And to whom would you compare me or equate me?" says the Holy One²⁶Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things. He leads forth their army by number, and he calls them all by name. Because of the fullness of his strength and robustness and virtue, not one of them was left behind²⁷Why do you say this, O Jacob, and why do you speak this way, O Israel? "My way has been hidden from the Lord, and my judgment escaped notice by my God.²⁸Do you not know, or have you not heard? The Lord is the eternal God, who has created the limits of the earth. He does not diminish, and he does not struggle. Neither is his wisdom searchable²⁹It is he who gives strength to the weary, and it is he who increases fortitude and strength in those who are failing³⁰Servants will struggle and fail, and young men will fall into infirmity³¹But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will take up wings like eagles. They will run and not struggle. They will walk and not tire

Gospel - Matthew 11.28-30

Matthew

Chapter 11

²⁸Come to me, all you who labor and have been burdened, and I will refresh you²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you shall find rest for your souls³⁰For my yoke is sweet and my burden is light.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful invitations to trust in God’s providence and find rest in Him. The first reading from Isaiah reminds us of God’s incomparable greatness and His unwavering care for His people. Addressing the Israelites in exile, Isaiah reassures them that even when their journey seems hidden from God, He remains the all-powerful Creator who never grows weary. He promises strength to the weary and urges them to hope in Him, for those who do will soar like eagles, unburdened by their struggles. The Gospel, from Matthew, offers a similar yet deeply personal invitation. Jesus calls out to all who are laboring and burdened, promising rest and refreshment. He invites us to take His yoke upon us, not as a new burden, but as a path to humility and peace. His yoke, He assures us, is sweet, and His burden is light. Both readings, though separated by centuries, speak to a universal human experience: the feeling of being overwhelmed and the longing for relief. Isaiah emphasizes God’s transcendence and His ability to renew our strength, while Jesus offers a more intimate invitation to lean on Him in our weariness. Together, they remind us that our burdens, though real, are not ours to carry alone. God’s strength is available to us, and His rest is a gift we can receive when we surrender our struggles to Him. In our daily lives, these readings call us to humility and trust. When we feel exhausted or discouraged, we are invited to lift our eyes to the God who created the stars and yet knows each of us by name. We are reminded that true rest comes not from our own efforts but from surrendering our burdens to Him. Let us learn to hope in the Lord, to take His yoke upon us, and to walk in the humility and peace that only He can give. In doing so, we will find the strength to run without growing weary and to rise above our challenges like eagles soaring on wings of faith.