Faith and Presence

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to ponder and proclaim our experience of faith bringing new sight or vision to our journey as children of God.

Presence on Our Journey

The Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah proclaims Judgment and Deliverance of Jerusalem.

* [29:17–24] The prophet presents the positive aspects of God’s plan in terms of a series of reversals: an end to pride, ignorance, and injustice. Cf. 32:3–5.

* [29:22] Who redeemed Abraham: perhaps by revealing himself and delivering Abraham from idolatrous worship; cf. Gn 12:1–3; 17:1; Jos 24:2–3. (“Isaiah, CHAPTER 29 | USCCB,” n.d.)

Psalm 27 asserts boundless hope that God will bring rescue.

* [Psalm 27] Tradition has handed down the two sections of the Psalm (Ps 27:1–6; 7–14) as one Psalm, though each part could be understood as complete in itself. Asserting boundless hope that God will bring rescue (Ps 27:1–3), the psalmist longs for the presence of God in the Temple, protection from all enemies (Ps 27:4–6). In part B there is a clear shift in tone (Ps 27:7–12); the climax of the poem comes with “I believe” (Ps 27:13), echoing “I trust” (Ps 27:3). (“Psalms, PSALM 27 | USCCB,” n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus cites faith in Healing of Two Blind Men.

* [9:27–31] This story was probably composed by Matthew out of Mark’s story of the healing of a blind man named Bartimaeus (Mk 10:46–52). Mark places the event late in Jesus’ ministry, just before his entrance into Jerusalem, and Matthew has followed his Marcan source at that point in his gospel also (see Mt 20:29–34). In each of the Matthean stories the single blind man of Mark becomes two. The reason why Matthew would have given a double version of the Marcan story and placed the earlier one here may be that he wished to add a story of Jesus’ curing the blind at this point in order to prepare for Jesus’ answer to the emissaries of the Baptist (Mt 11:4–6) in which Jesus, recounting his works, begins with his giving sight to the blind.

* [9:27] Son of David: this messianic title is connected once with the healing power of Jesus in Mark (Mk 10:47–48) and Luke (Lk 18:38–39) but more frequently in Matthew (see also Mt 12:23; 15:22; 20:30–31). (“Matthew, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB,” n.d.)

Cindy Murphy McMahon ponders that when they answered affirmatively, he touched their eyes, said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith,” and their blindness was gone. But why was it necessary for Jesus to ask that question and for them to answer?

I believe it’s because it’s good, but not enough, to recognize that Jesus embodies integrity. It’s not enough to follow him. It’s not enough to have faith in him. Jesus calls us to step out in faith, to act on our faith. That is what allows his boundless grace and mercy to truly flow into our lives and world. (Murphy McMahon, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “They saw because they believed in the Messiah,” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).

"At that point, two blind men follow the Lord as he was passing by. But if they could not see, how could the blind men know of the Lord's departure as well as his name? Moreover, they called him 'Son of David' and asked to be made well. In the two blind men, the entire earlier prefiguration [miracles in Matthew 9:18-26] is complete. The ruler's daughter seems to be from these people, namely, the Pharisees and John's disciples, who already made common cause in testing the Lord. To these unknowing persons the law gave evidence as to the one from whom they sought a cure. It indicated to them that their Savior in the flesh was of the line of David. It also introduced light to the minds of those who were blind from past sins. They could not see Christ but were told about him. The Lord showed them that faith should not be expected as a result of health but health should be expected because of faith. The blind men saw because they believed; they did not believe because they saw. From this we understand that what is requested must be predicated on faith and that faith must not be exercised because of what has been obtained. If they should believe, he offers them sight. And he charges the believers to be silent, for it was exclusively the task of the apostles to preach." (excerpt from commentary ON MATTHEW 9.9) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 9:27-31 comments that Jesus knows that faith doesn’t just appear instantaneously; it matures over time and through the crucible of challenges, failures, and step-by-step acts of trust. He can work with timid, small beginnings and bold proclamations alike. He just wants us to exercise whatever amount of faith we do have!

What does a “small beginning” or a “bold proclamation” look like in your life? Do you have the faith to ask for and hope for something dramatic to happen for you or a loved one? Or do you feel that you can only muster enough faith to ask for just a little more insight into a Scripture passage you heard at Mass? Whether it’s a large or small need, bring it to the Lord! Believe that you can become an active participant in God’s wondrous works—both great and small. Then watch to see the way he unfolds his great plans for you.

“Lord, I do believe. Increase my faith!” (“Meditation on Matthew 9:27-31,” 2025)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Isaiah proclaims the restoration that will visit Israel for the poor and the humble who will be blessed by the Lord and be witnesses to the peoples of surrounding nations. Like the blind men, we should let others know God has been good to us. Here two blind men are healed because of faith, trust in Jesus. For some who don’t feel God’s presence, they yield to God’s Love. Jesus tries to avoid being thought of as a wonderworker as He requests that the blind men not share their healing. Friar Jude suggests that telling one person in the Parish that “it is  a secret” assures everyone will soon know it.

Fr. Mike Schmitz reminds us that God uses crooked lines to make a straight story, like Paul’s witness to Priscilla and Aquila as they encounter the person of Christ and become missionaries. Just like Apollos accepted correction, Fr. Mike invites us to courageously open ourselves up to learning and growing. Today’s readings are Acts 18, 1 Corinthians 16, and Proverbs 28:19-21.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, describes intimacy with God as a loving yes to Divine Presence. Some mystics have described this Presence as “closer to me than I am to myself” or “more me than I am myself.” Many of us would also describe this as the True Self, as Thomas Merton did. Yet it still must be awakened and chosen. The Holy Spirit is totally given and given equally to all, but must be consciously received, too. The Presence needs to be recognized, honored, and drawn upon to become a living Presence within us. Spiritual director Colette Lafia asks a monk with whom she is friends, “How do I let God love me more?”

How do we make receptivity a foundation of our relationship with the Divine and of our life of prayer? To give love, we also need to be able to receive it. This invitation to receptivity encourages us to listen to the stirrings of love, release into communion with God, and become more present to Divine love. “God cannot love you more. God already loves you infinitely.” Embracing this love, we can respond to God, others, and all of life from our heart, which is the source of compassion toward all. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)

We are grateful for faith that has supported our growth and healing during our journey and we seek inspiration from the Spirit to share our experience with others.

References

Isaiah, CHAPTER 29 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/29?17 

Matthew, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/9?27 

Meditation on Matthew 9:27-31. (2025, December 5). Word Among Us. https://wau.org/meditations/2025/12/05/1440269/ 

Murphy McMahon, C. (n.d.). Daily Reflections. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-december-5-2025 

Psalms, PSALM 27 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/27?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Saying Yes to Love. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/saying-yes-to-love/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Do You Believe? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 5, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Deliverance and Decision

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today exhort us to examine the deliverance we have experienced from fear and despair and the decisions we need to make to honour our transformation.

Decisions that Transform

The Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah presents Judah’s Praise and Prayer for Deliverance.

* [26:1–19] This text is a mixture of praise for the salvation that will take place, a confession of Judah’s inability to achieve deliverance on its own, and earnest prayer that God may quickly bring about the longed-for salvation.

* [26:1] Strong city: Jerusalem, the antithesis of the “city of chaos” (24:10); see note on 24:1–27:13. (“Isaiah, CHAPTER 26 | USCCB,” 2025)

Psalm 118 describes how the people confidently implored God’s help.

* [Psalm 118] A thanksgiving liturgy accompanying a procession of the king and the people into the Temple precincts. After an invocation in the form of a litany (Ps 118:1–4), the psalmist (very likely speaking in the name of the community) describes how the people confidently implored God’s help (Ps 118:5–9) when hostile peoples threatened its life (Ps 118:10–14); vividly God’s rescue is recounted (Ps 118:15–18). Then follows a possible dialogue at the Temple gates between the priests and the psalmist as the latter enters to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice (Ps 118:19–25). Finally, the priests impart their blessing (Ps 118:26–27), and the psalmist sings in gratitude (Ps 118:28–29).

* [118:22] The stone the builders rejected: a proverb: what is insignificant to human beings has become great through divine election. The “stone” may originally have meant the foundation stone or capstone of the Temple. The New Testament interpreted the verse as referring to the death and resurrection of Christ (Mt 21:42; Acts 4:11; cf. Is 28:16 and Rom 9:33; 1 Pt 2:7). (“Psalms, PSALM 118 | USCCB,” 2025)

The Gospel of Matthew presents the True Disciple and compares The Two Foundations.

* [7:21–23] The attack on the false prophets is continued, but is broadened to include those disciples who perform works of healing and exorcism in the name of Jesus (Lord) but live evil lives. Entrance into the kingdom is only for those who do the will of the Father. On the day of judgment (on that day) the morally corrupt prophets and miracle workers will be rejected by Jesus.

* [7:24–27] The conclusion of the discourse (cf. Lk 6:47–49). Here the relation is not between saying and doing as in Mt 7:15–23 but between hearing and doing, and the words of Jesus are applied to every Christian (everyone who listens). (“Matthew, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB,” 2025)

Eileen Wirth urges us to remember that we are already members of the Communion of Saints – Christ’s body in action.

The people who believe this are feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, comforting the afflicted, and generally serving the least of our brothers and sisters. They aren’t worrying whether God is noticing. OF COURSE he is! But such people don’t quit helping others when they reach an imaginary celestial minimum point total required to get into heaven. They aren’t martyrs parading their sanctity. They are already, in a sense, living in the Father’s house because they have found their joy and meaning in life by doing his will. I know them and so do you. (Wirth, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Turn your vision to the Savior,” by Verecundus (died 552 AD).

"When Hezekiah, the king of Judah and son of Ahaz, was gravely ill and had learned of his coming death by the prophecy of Isaiah, he turned his face to the wall and wept bitterly (2 Kings 20:1-3). Immediately the Lord in his mercy not only averted the destruction of imminent death but also added fifteen years to the man's life. Then, at last, Hezekiah sang this song (Isaiah 38:10-20). Hezekiah, a holy man who reigned at that time over all of Israel, displayed the Lord's form: clearly he had every movement of body, soul and mind in subjection to himself, and he accepted the consequences of his infirmity and weakness. He knew without doubt through the prophetic message that the end of his life was approaching. For the longer we seem to live, the more indubitably is our future death foreknown to us. And if we turn our face to the wall when struck by the fear of death, that is, if we direct the vision of our hearts to the Savior, who is here represented by the wall because he is elsewhere called 'a wall,' we will be saved, inasmuch as he saves the faithful who dwell within him from a great many attacks. 'In the city of our strength,' says Isaiah, 'is the Savior established as a wall and a fortress' (Isaiah 26:1). Behold, the Savior is said to be a wall." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON THE CANTICLE OF EZEKIEL 5.1-2)

[Verecundus was an African Christian writer and bishop in the 6th century AD.] (Schwager, 2025)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 7:21, 24-27 comments that Jesus wants us to build our whole life on him: our family, our job, our studies, our friendships, our hobbies. But how do we do this? How do we build “on rock” (Matthew 7:24)? We do it by coming to Jesus in prayer and reading the Scriptures. We do it when we seek his wisdom and strength during our day. And we do it when we place our worries and our dreams into his hands. Spending time with the Lord like this every day shows us just how trustworthy he is—and it shows that he is our one true refuge.

Indeed, in this life, we will face hardships. Like the rain, the flood, and the wind that shake a house, a broken relationship, an illness, a financial struggle, or a strong temptation can shake our lives. But if we continue to build our foundation on the Lord and his word, we will not collapse. We will be “set solidly on rock” (Matthew 7:25). We’ll know that we can trust in the Lord because he is good and merciful.

So build your life on Jesus. He can protect you and give you his peace. He is your “eternal Rock” (Isaiah 26:4)!

“Oh Lord, ‘I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have been my savior’ (Psalm 118:21).” (“Meditation on Matthew 7:21, 24-27,” 2025)

Friar Jude Winkler comments like the passage from Isaiah yesterday, it likely was not written by Isaiah but incorporated later. The message that  God will protect us from our enemies can be applied today to ourselves and the enemies of fear, selfishness, and sin, that which separates us from Christ will be defeated. Our faith cannot be based on superficial religiosity but on acting as people of integrity. Friar Jude notes that superficial faith, to get something from God, is not the faith that totally surrenders to the will of God and is transforming to our heart. 

Fr. Mike Schmitz reminds us that we live in the same era as the Apostles and have the same Holy Spirit. Just like St. Paul stood out by imitating Jesus and sharing the Gospel, we are called to do the same. Fr. Mike also discusses our duality as both body and soul as it relates to Christ’s resurrection. Today’s readings are Acts 17, 1 Corinthians 15, and Proverbs 28:16-18.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces public theologian Rachel Held Evans (1981–2019) who reflects on how Mary’s yes was pivotal to the Incarnation. She cannot entirely make sense of the storyline: God trusted God’s very self, totally and completely and in full bodily form, to the care of a woman. God needed women for survival. Before Jesus fed us with the bread and the wine, the body and the blood, Jesus himself needed to be fed by a woman. He needed a woman to say: “This is my body, given for you.”… 

 To understand Mary’s humanity and her central role in Jesus’s story is to remind ourselves of the true miracle of the Incarnation—and that is the core Christian conviction that God is with us, plain old ordinary us. God is with us in our fears and in our pain, in our morning sickness and in our ear infections, in our refugee crises and in our endurance of Empire, in smelly barns and unimpressive backwater towns, in the labor pains of a new mother and in the cries of a tiny infant. In all these things, God is with us—and God is for us. And through Mary’s example, God invites us to take the risk of love—even though it undoubtedly opens us up to the possibility of getting hurt, being scared, and feeling disappointed. (Rohr, 2025)  

We seek the Wisdom of the Spirit as we celebrate our deliverance to full life and our decisions to act to support our transformation as Jesus workers in His vineyard.

References

Isaiah, CHAPTER 26 | USCCB. (2025, December 4). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 4, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/26?1 

Matthew, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (2025, December 4). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 4, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/7?21 

Meditation on Matthew 7:21, 24-27. (2025, December 4). Word Among Us. https://wau.org/meditations/2025/12/04/1439620/ 

Psalms, PSALM 118 | USCCB. (2025, December 4). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 4, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/118?1 

Rohr, R. (2025, December 4). Courageous Vulnerability. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 4, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/courageous-vulnerability/ 

Schwager, D. (2025, December 4). Who Shall Enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 4, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Wirth, E. (2025, December 4). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved December 4, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-december-4-2025