Daily Readings - Tue Dec 12 2017

First Reading - Zechariah 2.10-13 or Revelation 11.19a; 12.1, 3-6a, 10ab

¹⁰Sing praise and rejoice, daughter of Zion. For behold, I approach, and I will dwell in your midst, says the Lord¹¹And many nations will be joined to the Lord in that day, and they will be my people, and I will dwell in your midst. And you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you¹²And the Lord will possess his portion, Judah, in the sanctified land, and still he will single out Jerusalem¹³Let all flesh be silent before the face of the Lord: for he has arisen from his holy dwelling place

Revelation

Chapter 11

¹⁹And the temple of God was opened in heaven. And the Ark of his Testament was seen in his temple. And there were lightnings and voices and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail

Chapter 12

¹And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars³And another sign was seen in heaven. And behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems⁴And his tail drew down a third part of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman, who was about to give birth, so that, when she had brought forth, he might devour her son⁵And she brought forth a male child, who was soon to rule all the nations with an iron rod. And her son was taken up to God and to his throne⁶And the woman fled into solitude, where a place was being held ready by God, so that they might pasture her in that place for one thousand two hundred and sixty days¹⁰And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying: "Now have arrived salvation and virtue and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been cast down, he who accused them before our God day and night

Luke

Chapter 1

³⁹And in those days, Mary, rising up, traveled quickly into the hill country, to a city of Judah⁴⁰And she entered into the house of Zechariah, and she greeted Elizabeth⁴¹And it happened that, as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit⁴²And she cried out with a loud voice and said: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb⁴³And how does this concern me, so that the mother of my Lord would come to me⁴⁴For behold, as the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy⁴⁵And blessed are you who believed, for the things that were spoken to you by the Lord shall be accomplished.⁴⁶And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord⁴⁷And my spirit leaps for joy in God my Saviour

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of joy, faith, and the presence of God in our lives. In the first reading from Zechariah, the prophet announces a time of great rejoicing for the people of Zion. He speaks of a day when God will dwell in the midst of His people, and many nations will join themselves to the Lord. This passage is set in a time of hope and restoration for Israel, as they look forward to the fulfillment of God’s promises. The prophet’s words remind us that God’s presence is not limited to a particular place or people; it is universal and transformative. In the Gospel, we find a beautiful moment of encounter between Mary and Elizabeth. Mary, carrying the unborn Jesus, visits her cousin Elizabeth, who is also with child. The moment Elizabeth hears Mary’s greeting, the infant John the Baptist leaps in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, exclaims, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Mary’s response, the Magnificat, is a hymn of praise that reflects her deep faith and trust in God. This passage highlights the importance of faith and the joy that comes from recognizing God’s work in our lives. These readings remind us that faith is not just an individual act but something that is lived out in community. Just as Mary and Elizabeth supported one another in their moments of grace, we too are called to recognize and celebrate the ways God is at work in the lives of those around us. The prophet Zechariah’s vision of God dwelling in the midst of His people is fulfilled in part through the incarnation of Jesus, who comes to live among us. As we go about our daily lives, may we, like Mary and Elizabeth, embrace the joy of God’s presence and share that joy with others. Let us trust in God’s promises and allow His Spirit to guide us in living out our faith with love and humility.