Daily Readings - Sun Dec 16 2018

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

Philippians

Chapter 4

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say, rejoice⁵Let your modesty be known to all men. The Lord is near⁶Be anxious about nothing. But in all things, with prayer and supplication, with acts of thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God⁷And so shall the peace of God, which exceeds all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus

Luke

Chapter 3

¹⁰And the crowed was questioning him, saying, "What then should we do?¹¹But in response, he said to them: "Whoever has two coats, let him give to those who do not have. And whoever has food, let him act similarly.¹²Now the tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what should we do?¹³But he said to them, "You should do nothing more than what has been appointed to you.¹⁴Then the soldiers also questioned him, saying, "And what should we do?" And he said to them: "You should strike no one, and you should not make false accusations. And be content with your pay.¹⁵Now all were thinking about John in their hearts, and the people were supposing that perhaps he might be the Christ¹⁶John responded by saying to everyone: "Indeed, I baptize you with water. But there will arrive one stronger than me, the laces of whose shoes I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit, and with fire¹⁷His winnowing fan is in his hand. And he will purify his threshing floor. And he will gather the wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.¹⁸Indeed, he also proclaimed many other things, exhorting the people

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of joy, trust, and living a life of integrity. In the first reading from Zephaniah, we hear a call to rejoice because God has removed judgment and is in our midst, offering strength and salvation. The prophet urges us not to fear but to trust in God’s presence and love. This message of hope is rooted in the context of a people who had faced exile and hardship but are now reminded of God’s faithfulness. The reading from Philippians echoes this call to joy, encouraging us to rejoice always and to let our requests be known to God with thanksgiving. St. Paul reminds us that the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds if we approach life with prayer and humility. In the Gospel, Luke presents John the Baptist, who prepares the people for the coming of the Messiah. John’s message is practical: he tells the crowd, tax collectors, and soldiers to live justly and compassionately. To those with extra, he says, “Give to those who have none.” To tax collectors, he advises fairness, and to soldiers, he urges non-violence and contentment. John’s words emphasize that true repentance is not just about feeling sorry but about changing how we live. He also points to one greater than himself, Jesus, who will bring the Holy Spirit and fire to purify and transform hearts. These readings connect in their call to trust in God’s presence and to live in a way that reflects that trust. Zephaniah and Philippians encourage us to rejoice and not fear, while Luke’s Gospel challenges us to put our faith into action. In our daily lives, we are called to live with integrity, to share what we have, and to act justly in our relationships and work. Let us ask ourselves: Am I trusting in God’s presence? Am I living in a way that reflects His love and justice? May we, like John the Baptist, prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord by living lives of humility, compassion, and trust in God’s plan.