Daily Readings - Tue Mar 19 2019

⁴But it happened in that night, behold, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying⁵"Go, and say to my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord: Should you build a house for me as a dwelling place¹²And when your days will have been fulfilled, and you will sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will go forth from your loins, and I will make firm his kingdom¹³He himself shall build a house to my name. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom, even forever¹⁴I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. And if he will commit any iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and with the wounds of the sons of men¹⁶And your house shall be faithful, and your kingdom shall be before your face, for eternity, and your throne shall be secure continuously.’

Romans

Chapter 4

¹³For the Promise to Abraham, and to his posterity, that he would inherit the world, was not through the law, but through the justice of faith¹⁶Because of this, it is from faith according to grace that the Promise is ensured for all posterity, not only for those who are of the law, but also for those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all before God¹⁷in whom he believed, who revives the dead and who calls those things that do not exist into existence. For it is written: "I have established you as the father of many nations.¹⁸And he believed, with a hope beyond hope, so that he might become the father of many nations, according to what was said to him: "So shall your posterity be.²²And for this reason, it was reputed to him unto justice

Gospel - Matthew 1.16, 18-21, 24a or Luke 2.41-51a

Matthew

Chapter 1

¹⁶And Jacob conceived Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ¹⁸Now 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.²⁴Then Joseph, arising from sleep, did just as the Angel of the Lord had instructed him, and he accepted her as his wife

Luke

Chapter 2

⁴¹And his parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the time of the solemnity of Passover⁴²And when he had become twelve years old, they ascended to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast day⁴³And having completed the days, when they returned, the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem. And his parents did not realize this⁴⁴But, supposing that he was in the company, they went a day’s journey, seeking him among their relatives and acquaintances⁴⁵And not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him⁴⁶And it happened that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, listening to them and questioning them⁴⁷But all who listened to him were astonished over his prudence and his responses⁴⁸And upon seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: "Son, why have you acted this way toward us? Behold, your father and I were seeking you in sorrow.⁴⁹And he said to them: "How is it that you were seeking me? For did you not know that it is necessary for me to be in these things which are of my Father?⁵⁰And they did not understand the word that he spoke to them⁵¹And he descended with them and went to Nazareth. And he was subordinate to them. And his mother kept all these words in her heart

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of trust, faith, and the fulfillment of God’s promises. In the first reading from 2 Samuel, Nathan delivers a message from God to David, promising that David’s dynasty will endure forever and that his son will build a house for the Lord. This passage is rooted in the context of David’s desire to build a temple for God, but God instead reverses the offer, promising to establish David’s throne and family line permanently. This is a moment of profound trust for David, as he learns to surrender his plans to God’s greater design. The second reading from Romans deepens this theme of trust and faith. Paul explains that Abraham’s faith, not his adherence to the law, made him the father of many nations. Abraham trusted God’s promise even when it seemed impossible, and this trust was credited to him as righteousness. Paul emphasizes that the promise of salvation is not limited to those under the law but is extended to all who share Abraham’s faith. This reading reminds us that our relationship with God is built on trust and faith, not on our own efforts or achievements. In the Gospel, Matthew presents Joseph as a model of trust and obedience. When Joseph learns that Mary is pregnant through the Holy Spirit, he is initially confused and hesitant. However, when an angel of the Lord appears to him in a dream, explaining that the child is the fulfillment of God’s plan, Joseph trustingly obeys. He takes Mary as his wife and becomes a faithful guardian of Jesus. Joseph’s story teaches us that trust in God’s plan, even in uncertain and challenging circumstances, leads to participation in God’s work of salvation. These readings call us to reflect on our own trust in God’s promises. Like David, we may have plans and aspirations, but we must learn to surrender them to God’s will. Like Abraham, we are invited to trust in God’s promises even when they seem impossible. And like Joseph, we are called to obey God’s will, even when it requires us to step out of our comfort zones. Trusting in God’s plan allows us to participate in His work of salvation, not just for ourselves, but for the world. May we, like these biblical figures, grow in faith and trust, knowing that God’s promises are always fulfilled in His time and in His way.