First Reading - Isaiah 30:19-21,23-26
Gospel - Matthew 9:35-10:1,5,6-8
Isaiah offers a vision full of tenderness. He describes a time when God hears every cry and answers with mercy. The people who once wandered in confusion will hear a voice behind them saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” It is a beautiful image of God as a teacher walking beside us, guiding us step by step, even when we feel lost or overwhelmed. And Isaiah promises abundance—rain for the earth, food for the flock, healing like light breaking through clouds, and a moon shining with unexpected brilliance. In other words, life becomes whole again when God restores us.
The Gospel shows this promise unfolding in Jesus. He looks at the crowds and His heart is moved—not with judgment, but with compassion. He sees people who are “harassed and helpless,” struggling in the weariness of life, and He responds by healing, teaching, and drawing near. He doesn’t remain distant; He enters their pain.
But something more happens: Jesus extends this mission to His disciples. He shares His own authority with them, sending them to heal, to lift burdens, to bring peace, to announce that God’s kingdom is close. What they have freely received, they must freely give.
Dear friends, Isaiah teaches that God guides our steps. The Gospel teaches that Jesus sends us out. The two readings fit together because we cannot guide others unless we first allow God to guide us. We cannot bring peace if we refuse to let Christ speak peace into our own hearts. We cannot heal others’ wounds if we ignore the places where we need healing.
This mission is not about extraordinary tasks or dramatic miracles. It is often lived out in very ordinary moments:
Offering patience when someone is difficult.
Listening with compassion when someone is hurting.
Sharing encouragement with someone who feels stuck.
Choosing forgiveness instead of resentment.
Being present to someone who feels forgotten.
In these moments, we become the voice that says, “This is the way; walk in it.” We become the hands that bring comfort, the presence that brings light.
So today, we ask for two graces:
First, the humility to let God speak into our own confusion, to let Him heal what is wounded in us, and to let His voice guide our path.
Second, the courage to share His compassion with others—to give freely what we have received, to be instruments of His peace, and to help others find their way back to the God who never stops looking for them.
May we be people who walk in God’s light and help others walk in it too.
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