Daily Readings - Fri Dec 15 2017

First Reading - Isaiah 48.17-19

¹⁷Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord, your God, who teaches you beneficial things, who guides you in the way that you walk¹⁸If only you had paid attention to my commandments! Your peace would have been like a river, and your justice would have been like the waves of the sea¹⁹and your offspring would have been like the sand, and the stock from your loins would have been like its stones. His name would not have passed away, nor would it have been worn away before my face

Gospel - Matthew 11.16-19

Matthew

Chapter 11

¹⁶But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplace¹⁷who, calling out to their companions, say: ‘We played music for you, and you did not dance. We lamented, and you did not mourn.¹⁸For John came neither eating nor drinking; and they say, ‘He has a demon.¹⁹The Son of man came eating and drinking; and they say, ‘Behold, a man who eats voraciously and who drinks wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is justified by her sons.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two profound messages that invite us to reflect on our response to God's call. The first reading from Isaiah 48:17-19 presents God as a Redeemer and Teacher, guiding His people with promises of peace and prosperity. Obedience to His commandments is portrayed as the pathway to a life where peace flows like a river and justice crashes like waves. The context suggests a call to repentance, urging the Israelites to align their lives with God's will for their benefit. The Gospel from Matthew 11:16-19 shifts our focus to Jesus, who compares His generation to indecisive children. He highlights the rejection of both John the Baptist and Himself, illustrating how people criticized John for his asceticism and Jesus for His sociability. Yet, Jesus affirms that wisdom is vindicated by its outcomes, emphasizing that true wisdom is recognized by its fruits. Both readings converge on the theme of response to God's messengers. Isaiah shows the rewards of obedience, while Matthew reveals the consequences of rejection. In our daily lives, this calls us to be discerning and consistent in following God, undeterred by criticism. The moral lesson is clear: trust in God's wisdom and remain open to His will, for it is through obedience and faith that we find true peace and justice.