Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 18, 2018
First Reading: Jeremiah 23.5-8
5Behold, the days are approaching, says the Lord, when I will raise up to David a righteous branch. And a king will reign, and he will be wise. And he will exercise judgment and justice upon the earth6In those days, Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in confidence. And this is the name that they will call him: ‘The Lord, our Just One.7Because of this, behold, the days are approaching, says the Lord, when they will no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives, who led the sons of Israel away from the land of Egypt,8but instead, ‘As the Lord lives, who led away and brought back the offspring of the house of Israel from the land of the north and from the entire earth,’ from the places to which I had cast them out. And they will live in their own land.
Psalm 72
1A Psalm according to Solomon2Give your judgment, O God, to the king, and your justice to the king’s son, to judge your people with justice and your poor with judgment3Let the mountains take up peace for the people, and the hills, justice4He will judge the poor of the people, and he will bring salvation to the sons of the poor. And he will humble the false accuser5And he will remain, with the sun and before the moon, from generation to generation6He will descend like rain upon fleece, and like showers showering upon the earth7In his days, justice will rise like the sun, with abundance of peace, until the moon is taken away8And he will rule from sea to sea and from the river to the limits of the whole world9In his sight, the Ethiopians will fall prostrate, and his enemies will lick the ground10The kings of Tarshish and the islands will offer gifts. The kings of Arabia and of Seba will bring gifts11And all the kings of the earth shall adore him. All nations will serve him12For he will free the poor from the powerful, and the poor one who has no helper13He will spare the poor and the indigent, and he will bring salvation to the souls of the poor14He will redeem their souls from usuries and from iniquity, and their names shall be honorable in his sight15And he will live, and to him will be given from the gold of Arabia, and by him they will always adore. They will bless him all day long16And there will be a firmament on earth, at the summits of mountains: its fruits will be extolled above Lebanon, and those of the city will flourish like the grass of the earth17May his name be blessed forever; may his name remain before the sun. And all the tribes of the earth will be blessed in him. All nations will magnify him18Blessed is the Lord, God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things19And blessed is the name of his majesty in eternity. And all the earth will be filled with his majesty. Amen. Amen20The praises of David, the son of Jesse, have reached an end
Gospel: Matthew 1.18-24
18Now the procreation of the Christ occurred in this way. After his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they lived together, she was found to have conceived in her womb by the Holy Spirit19Then Joseph, her husband, since he was just and was not willing to hand her over, preferred to send her away secretly20But while thinking over these things, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to accept Mary as your wife. For what has been formed in her is of the Holy Spirit21And she shall give birth to a son. And you shall call his name JESUS. For he shall accomplish the salvation of his people from their sins.22Now all this occurred in order to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying23"Behold, a virgin shall conceive in her womb, and she shall give birth to a son. And they shall call his name Emmanuel, which means: God is with us.24Then Joseph, arising from sleep, did just as the Angel of the Lord had instructed him, and he accepted her as his wife
Sermon
In today’s readings, we hear of hope, justice, and the fulfillment of God’s promises. The first reading from Jeremiah speaks of a future king, a righteous branch from David, who will reign with wisdom and justice, bringing salvation and confidence to God’s people. This king is not just a political leader but one who embodies God’s justice and restores Israel’s trust in Him. The Gospel from Matthew then reveals how this prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Through Joseph’s obedience and trust in God’s plan, even in the face of uncertainty, we see the beginning of the story of Emmanuel, “God with us,” who comes to save His people from their sins.
Both readings point to the same truth: God’s plan for salvation is not just a distant promise but a reality that unfolds in the lives of ordinary people like Joseph and Mary. Jeremiah’s prophecy reminds us that God’s justice and wisdom are not abstract concepts but are lived out in the world through His people. Similarly, Matthew’s account shows us that faith and trust in God’s plan, even when it seems unconventional or challenging, are essential for living out our calling as disciples. Just as Joseph trusted in God’s message and acted with integrity, we too are called to trust in God’s plan and live justly in our own lives.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do we embody God’s justice and wisdom in our daily lives? How do we trust in His plan, even when the path ahead is unclear? The readings remind us that God’s promises are not just for a distant future but are fulfilled in the present through our faith and actions. May we, like Joseph, have the courage to say “yes” to God’s will, even when it challenges us, and may we, like the people of Jeremiah’s time, live with confidence in the knowledge that God is always with us, guiding us toward His kingdom.