Daily Readings - Fri Dec 21 2018

First Reading - Zephaniah 3.14-18a or Song of Solomon 2.8-14

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

Song of Solomon

Chapter 2

⁸Bride to Chorus: The voice of my beloved! Behold, he arrives leaping along the mountains, jumping across the hills⁹My beloved is like a doe and like a young stag. Lo, he stands beyond our wall, gazing through the windows, watching through the lattices¹⁰Lo, my beloved speaks to me: Groom to Bride: Rise up, quickly, my love, my dove, my shapely one, and advance¹¹For winter has now past; the rain has decreased and gone away¹²The flowers have appeared in our land; the time for pruning has arrived. The voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land¹³The fig tree has brought forth its green figs; the flowering vines bestow their odor. Rise up, my love, my brilliant one, and advance¹⁴My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollows of the wall, reveal to me your face. Let your voice sound in my ears. For your voice is sweet, and your face is graceful

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.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful themes of joy and divine presence. The prophet Zephaniah invites us to rejoice, for God has removed judgment and fear, dwelling among His people to bring salvation. This message of hope was spoken to a people facing judgment, offering them a future filled with God's presence and joy. In the Gospel, Luke shares the visitation story where Mary, carrying Jesus, visits Elizabeth, who is filled with the Holy Spirit. The unborn John the Baptist leaps for joy, and Elizabeth praises Mary's faith, highlighting the Holy Spirit's active role in their lives. Both readings connect through the theme of joy inspired by God's presence. Zephaniah's vision of a joyful community is fulfilled in Luke, where the Holy Spirit brings joy to Elizabeth and John. This connection reminds us that God's presence in our lives is a source of joy, even amidst challenges. The Holy Spirit's action in both readings underscores the transformative power of faith. Applying this to our daily lives, we are reminded to trust in God's plan and recognize His presence, especially in uncertain times. Just as Mary trusted God's plan, leading to the joy of salvation, we too can find joy in our faith. The moral lesson here is the importance of trust and faith, allowing God's presence to bring us joy and peace. Let us embrace this joy, knowing God is always with us, guiding us with love.