Daily Readings - Tue Dec 19 2017

First Reading - Judges 13.2-7, 24-25a

²Now there was a certain man from Zorah, and of the stock of Dan, whose name was Manoah, having a barren wife³And an Angel of the Lord appeared to her, and he said: "You are barren and without children. But you shall conceive and bear a son⁴Therefore, take care that you do not drink wine or strong drink. Neither shall you eat anything unclean⁵For you shall conceive and bear a son, whose head no razor shall touch. For he shall be a Nazirite of God, from his infancy and from his mother’s womb. And he shall begin to free Israel from the hand of the Philistines.⁶And when she had gone to her husband, she said to him: "A man of God came to me, having the countenance of an Angel, exceedingly terrible. And when I had inquired of him, who he was, and where he was from, and what name he was called, he was not willing to tell me⁷But he responded: ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. Take care that you do not drink wine or strong drink. And you shall not consume anything unclean. For the boy shall be a Nazirite of God from his infancy, from his mother’s womb, even until the day of his death.’ ²⁴And so she bore a son, and she called his name Samson. And the boy grew up, and the Lord blessed him²⁵And the Spirit of the Lord began to be with him in the camp of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol

Gospel - Luke 1.5-25

Luke

Chapter 1

⁵There was, in the days of Herod, king of Judea, a certain priest named Zechariah, of the section of Abijah, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth⁶Now they were both just before God, progressing in all of the commandments and the justifications of the Lord without blame⁷And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both had become advanced in years⁸Then it happened that, when he was exercising the priesthood before God, in the order of his section⁹according to the custom of the priesthood, the lot fell so that he would offer incense, entering into the temple of the Lord¹⁰And the entire multitude of the people was praying outside, at the hour of incense¹¹Then there appeared to him an Angel of the Lord, standing at the right of the altar of incense¹²And upon seeing him, Zechariah was disturbed, and fear fell over him¹³But the Angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son to you. And you shall call his name John¹⁴And there will be joy and exultation for you, and many will rejoice in his nativity¹⁵For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb¹⁶And he will convert many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God¹⁷And he will go before him with the spirit and power of Elijah, so that he may turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons, and the incredulous to the prudence of the just, so as to prepare for the Lord a completed people.¹⁸And Zechariah said to the Angel: "How may I know this? For I am elderly, and my wife is advanced in years.¹⁹And in response, the Angel said to him: "I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I have been sent to speak to you, and to proclaim these things to you²⁰And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak, until the day on which these things shall be, because you have not believed my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.²¹And the people were waiting for Zechariah. And they wondered why he was being delayed in the temple²²Then, when he came out, he was unable to speak to them. And they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he was making signs to them, but he remained mute²³And it happened that, after the days of his office were completed, he went away to his house²⁴Then, after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she hid herself for five months, saying²⁵"For the Lord did this for me, at the time when he decided to take away my reproach among men.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two profound stories of divine intervention, where God announces the births of Samson and John the Baptist through angelic messengers. Both narratives share a common theme: God's ability to bring life and purpose into seemingly impossible circumstances. In Judges, an angel appears to the barren wife of Manoah, promising the birth of Samson, who will deliver Israel from oppression. Similarly, in Luke, the angel Gabriel announces to Zechariah that his wife Elizabeth will bear John, the forerunner of the Messiah. These stories highlight God's penchant for using unexpected and humble beginnings to fulfill His grand plans. The context of these readings is deeply rooted in the historical and theological landscapes of their times. For the Israelites, Samson's birth comes during a period of oppression, signaling hope for deliverance. His role as a Nazirite, dedicated to God from birth, underscores the sacred mission he is destined to fulfill. In the Gospel of Luke, John the Baptist's birth marks the beginning of the fulfillment of God's promise of redemption. John's role, as one who will "prepare the way for the Lord," is pivotal in the narrative leading to Jesus Christ. Both stories emphasize God's initiative in breaking into human history to bring about salvation. These readings beautifully illustrate how God's plans often unfold in unexpected ways. Both Samson and John are born to barren women, a testament to God's power to overcome human limitations. The presence of angels in both narratives serves as a reminder of God's direct involvement in human affairs. Samson's strength and John's prophetic voice are not mere human achievements but are divinely ordained. This relationship between the readings underscores the consistent theme of God's faithfulness and His ability to use any circumstance to achieve His will. In our daily lives, these stories invite us to trust in God's plan, even when our circumstances seem impossible or unclear. They remind us that our limitations are not barriers to God's work. Just as He chose barren women to bear significant figures, He can use our challenges to bring about something extraordinary. The moral lesson here is one of faith and obedience. Like the mothers of Samson and John, we are called to trust in God's timing and promises, even when they seem beyond our understanding. In reflecting on these readings, we are encouraged to embrace a deeper faith in God's providence. They teach us that our lives are part of a larger narrative, one that God is continually writing. As we face our own challenges and doubts, may we find courage in these stories, trusting that God's plan is always at work, even in the most unexpected ways. Let us, like these biblical figures, respond with faith and obedience, knowing that God's promises are always fulfilled in His perfect time.