Day 194: Holy is the Lord

Isaiah 5:1-7 The Church is often compared to a cultivated field, a vineyard, or fertile ground cultivated by God himself. In the Gospels, Christ spoke about the Kingdom of God often using agricultural imagery. One enduring image from the Gospels is that of the vine and its branches: Christ is the vine, and the members of his Mystical Body are the branches who receive life and nourishment from him. (CCC 755)


Ch 5:8-30 This poem of lamentation condemns six different sins that seemed to have been rampant in Judah: greed, lust, skepticism of authentic prophecy, denial of objective morality, vanity, and drunkenness. In addition to personal punishment for these sins, the entire population of Judah would undergo purification. 


Justice: In Church teaching, justice is defined as “the firm and constant will to give God and their neighbor their due” (CCC 1836)


Ch 6:1-13 These verses narrate Isaiah’s divine calling, which came in the form of a vision of God seated on a throne surrounded by angelic beings who proclaimed the glory of God. In the presence of God’s perfection, Isaiah was aware of his unworthiness and sinfulness. At that time it was believed that one who looked upon the face of God would die, yet the prophets were often privileged with certain visions of God from which they drew strength and light for the mission that God assigned them. (CCC 208, 332, 712, 1137-1138, 2584)


Ch 6:3 Holy, holy, holy...glory: This verse comprises part of the familiar Sanctus, which is prayed at Mass at the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer. God’s absolute holiness is expressed with the triple use of the word “holy,” which refers also to the Trinity of Divine Persons. (CCC 2809)

Tobit 5:1-21 God extends his protection and guidance through his angels. In this instance, Raphael appeared in the form of a young man to guide Tobias on his journey. God did not impose the angel upon Tobit but rather allowed him to make the decision to hire the young man himself. God makes use of collaborators who assist in accomplishing his plan. Guardian angels are assigned to guide and protect us throughout our lives. Ironically, Tobit prayed that an angel would go with Tobias, not realizing that his prayer had already been answered. He and his wife showed exemplary trust in God’s protection over their son. (CCC 306, 336)


Ch 6:1-8 God’s providence was shown at every stage of the journey. The angel alerted Tobias about the fish, which provided not only a meal for the travelers but also the organs that would be used later in healing Sarah. 


Ch 6:9-17 Under the Mosaic Law, a woman who inherited her father’s land (for lack of a male heir) was encouraged to marry within her own tribe so that the property also remained with the tribe. As her nearest male relative, Tobias was the one who ought to have married Sarah. Naturally, he feared that he might meet the same fate as her previous seven husbands and did not want to cause grief to his parents. The angel, however, encouraged him to wed Sarah, assuring him that “she was destined for you from eternity” and providing him a way to expel the demon that plagued her. 


Proverbs 10:1-13 These thirteen verses comprise the first of two sections of collected proverbs traditionally attributed to Solomon, the third King of Israel. The first two sets of proverbs concern advice on bringing virtuous conduct into ordinary experiences. 


Ch 10:4 Work is honorable since it brings support and livelihood both to oneself and one’s family. Laziness, on the other hand, can result in poverty. Work is a means of personal fulfillment, material support, and sanctification. It should never become an absolute or an end in itself, i.e., a form of idolatry. (CCC 2426-2436)

(*The Didache Bible RSV-CE Ignatius Edition, 2006)


(Walking With God: A Journey Through The Bible by Tim Gray and Jeff Cavins)




Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven we give you praise and thanks. We thank you so much. Thank you so much for your holiness. Thank you for your transcendence. Thank you for your omnipotence. Thank you for the fact that you are sovereign, Lord God. You are sovereign over all. And you are awe-inspiring. You are awesome and awful in the best possible way, Lord God. You inspire us and we are full of awe in your presence and in the presence of your Word, Lord God, as you continue to speak to us these days. We ask that you please open our eyes that we may see and return to you. Open our ears that we may hear and return to you. Open our hearts that we can understand, our minds we can understand and come back to you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”