Daily Readings - Wed Dec 12 2018

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 presence of God in our lives and the joy that comes from trusting in His plan. In the first reading from Zechariah, we hear a prophetic message of hope and joy. The prophet announces that God will dwell in the midst of His people, and many nations will join Israel in worshiping the Lord. This passage was written during a time of great uncertainty for the people of Israel, who were struggling to rebuild their lives after exile. Zechariah’s words remind them—and us—that God’s presence is not limited to a particular place or time but is universal and eternal. The Lord will come to dwell among His people, and all flesh will stand in awe of His majesty. In the Gospel, we find a beautiful scene from Luke’s infancy narrative. Mary, having just received the news of her pregnancy through the Angel Gabriel, travels to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who is also with child. When Mary greets Elizabeth, the unborn John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, praises Mary for her faith. Mary, in turn, breaks into a song of praise, magnifying the Lord and rejoicing in God her Savior. This passage highlights the profound connection between these two women and the miraculous work of God in their lives. It also underscores the importance of trust and faith in God’s plan, as both Elizabeth and Mary embrace their roles in the divine plan with humility and joy. These readings are deeply connected, as they both point to the presence and action of God in the world. In Zechariah, we see God’s promise to dwell among His people, and in Luke, we see the fulfillment of that promise in the coming of Jesus. Both readings also emphasize the role of the Holy Spirit, who fills Elizabeth and inspires her to recognize the blessedness of Mary and the fruit of her womb. As we reflect on these passages, let us ask ourselves: Do we trust in God’s plan for our lives? Are we open to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our hearts? And do we rejoice in the presence of God, who dwells among us and within us? May we, like Mary and Elizabeth, embrace God’s will with faith and joy, and may our lives be a testament to His love and presence in the world.