Daily Readings - Thu Dec 14 2017

First Reading - Isaiah 41.13-20

¹³For I am the Lord your God. I take you by your hand, and I say to you: Do not be afraid. I have helped you¹⁴Fear not, O worm of Jacob, you who are dead within Israel. I have helped you, says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel¹⁵I have established you like a new threshing cart, having serrated blades. You will thresh the mountains and crush them. And you will turn the hills into chaff¹⁶You will winnow them, and the wind will blow them away, and the whirlwind will scatter them. And you shall exult in the Lord; you shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel¹⁷The indigent and the poor are seeking water, but there is none. Their tongue has been dried up by thirst. I, the Lord, will heed them. I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them¹⁸I will open rivers in the high hills, and fountains in the midst of the plains. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the impassable land into streams of water¹⁹I will plant the cedar in a deserted place, with the thorn, and the myrtle, and the olive tree. In the desert, I will plant the pine, and the elm, and the box tree together²⁰so that they may see and know, acknowledge and understand, together, that the hand of the Lord has accomplished this, and that the Holy One of Israel has created it

Gospel - Matthew 11.11-15

Matthew

Chapter 11

¹¹Amen I say to you, among those born of women, there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he¹²But from the days of John the Baptist, even until now, the kingdom of heaven has endured violence, and the violent carry it away¹³For all the prophets and the law prophesied, even until John¹⁴And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah, who is to come¹⁵Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages of hope, transformation, and the call to faith. The passage from Isaiah 41:13-20 offers comfort, urging us not to fear as God promises to transform desolate places into sources of life, symbolizing His power to renew and restore. The Gospel from Matthew 11:11-15 highlights John the Baptist's pivotal role as a bridge between the Old and New Covenants, emphasizing the shift from prophecy to the fulfillment in Christ. Jesus notes the struggle in living out faith, yet affirms that even the least in the kingdom holds a great place. Both readings connect through the theme of trust in God's plan. Isaiah's assurance of restoration and Matthew's focus on the kingdom's arrival remind us to trust God's providence, even amidst challenges. The transformation promised in Isaiah is fulfilled in Christ, as John the Baptist prepares the way for the Messiah, illustrating the transition from anticipation to realization. In our daily lives, these readings call us to embrace faith courageously. Just as God transforms deserts into pools, He can bring life to our barren areas. Trusting in His plan, we are empowered to face struggles with hope, knowing that our faith, though small, is part of a greater divine narrative. Let us live with trust and faith, allowing God's transformative power to guide us through life's trials.