Daily Readings - Thu May 31 2018

First Reading - Zephaniah 3.14-18 or Romans 12.9-16

¹⁴Give praise, daughter of Zion. Shout joyfully, Israel. Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem¹⁵The Lord has taken away your judgment; he has turned aside your foes. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall no longer fear evil¹⁶In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, "Do not be afraid," and to Zion, "Do not let your hands be weakened.¹⁷The Lord your God is the strength in your midst; he will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness. In his love, he will be silent. He will exult over you with praise¹⁸The triflers who withdrew from the law, I will gather together, because they were from you, so that you may no longer suffer disgrace over them

Romans

Chapter 12

⁹Let love be without falseness: hating evil, clinging to what is good¹⁰loving one another with fraternal charity, surpassing one another in honor¹¹in solicitude, not lazy; in spirit, fervent; serving the Lord¹²in hope, rejoicing; in tribulation, enduring; in prayer, ever-willing¹³in the difficulties of the saints, sharing; in hospitality, attentive¹⁴Bless those who are persecuting you: bless, and do not curse¹⁵Rejoice with those who are rejoicing. Weep with those who are weeping¹⁶Be of the same mind toward one another: not savoring what is exalted, but consenting in humility. Do not choose to seem wise to yourself

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 Saviour⁴⁸For he has looked with favor on the humility of his handmaid. For behold, from this time, all generations shall call me blessed⁴⁹For he who is great has done great things for me, and holy is his name⁵⁰And his mercy is from generation to generations for those who fear him⁵¹He has accomplished powerful deeds with his arm. He has scattered the arrogant in the intentions of their heart⁵²He has deposed the powerful from their seat, and he has exalted the humble⁵³He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty⁵⁴He has taken up his servant Israel, mindful of his mercy⁵⁵just as he spoke to our fathers: to Abraham and to his offspring forever.⁵⁶Then Mary stayed with her for about three months. And she returned to her own house

Sermon

In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the themes of joy, trust, and God's providential care. The first reading from Zephaniah calls us to rejoice and exult with all our heart, for the Lord is in our midst, bringing salvation and strength. This prophetic text reminds us that even in the midst of challenges, God's presence is a source of comfort and hope. The Gospel, from Luke, presents us with the beautiful scene of the Visitation, where Mary, carrying Jesus in her womb, visits her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, recognizes the blessing of Mary's faith and the gift of the Messiah within her. Mary's Magnificat, a hymn of praise, expresses her deep trust in God's plan and her humility in accepting her role as the handmaid of the Lord. These readings are deeply connected in their emphasis on trust and joy in God's plan. Zephaniah's prophecy of salvation is fulfilled in the Gospel, where Mary and Elizabeth embody the faith and hope that God's promises inspire. Mary's visit to Elizabeth shows us the power of community and the support we can find in one another as we walk in faith. Her song, the Magnificat, is a beautiful expression of surrender to God's will and recognition of His mercy and justice. It reminds us that true joy comes from trusting in God's plan, even when it seems uncertain or challenging. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Do we trust in God's plan for our lives? Do we allow ourselves to rejoice in His presence, even in difficult times? Mary's example teaches us the importance of humility and faith. Like her, we are called to magnify the Lord and to recognize the great things He does in our lives. Let us strive to live with the same trust and joy, knowing that God is always with us, guiding us and strengthening us. May we, like Mary and Elizabeth, be open to the Holy Spirit's inspiration and allow our lives to be a testament to God's love and mercy.