God’s dealing with the whole human race started with the creation of man and woman and ended with the descendants of the survivors of the Deluge. God then chose to restrict his revelation to a small group, and eventually to one nation—to Abraham and his descendants.

Salvation history started with them. In times past in partial and various ways, God spoke to the Israelite ancestors through the prophets (Heb 1:1). Through the prophets, God revealed that in the vicissitudes of history, God would not abandon his people. They spoke of a future when God would deliver his people from their enemies and assure them of salvation.

Through the ups and downs of Israel’s experience, people looked forward to a time when God would visit his people and bring them peace. This would be the time of the Messiah. This is the time of which Jesus speaks in today’s Gospel: what many prophets and kings desired to see, but did not see it, and to hear, but did not hear it (v 24).

With Jesus, the fullness of time prophesied for so long has arrived. In times past God spoke through his human messengers, but now he speaks through his Son, and the disciples are privileged to see and hear of salvation at work in Jesus.

First Reading • Is 11:1-10

On that day, A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a Spirit of counsel and of strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, but he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.

Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips. Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them.

The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair.

There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea.

On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.

“Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”