Daily Readings - Thu Dec 12 2019

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

In today's readings, we encounter two profound moments of joy and recognition of God's presence. The first reading from Zechariah 2:10-13 speaks of a future hope where God will dwell among His people, and many nations will join in worship. This passage, written in a post-exilic context, offers restoration and hope to Israel, promising a time when God's presence will be evident and inclusive. The Gospel from Luke 1:39-47 shifts to the present reality of God's plan through the Visitation. Here, Mary, carrying Jesus, visits Elizabeth, who is filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth's joyful recognition of Mary as the mother of the Lord exemplifies faith and acknowledgment of God's work. This narrative is part of Luke's infancy story, highlighting the roles of these faithful women in God's plan. Both readings connect through themes of joy and recognition of God's presence. Zechariah looks forward to a future dwelling of God, while Luke presents the present reality of God dwelling in Mary. This connection invites us to recognize God's presence in our lives, just as Elizabeth did, and to respond with joy and faith. In our daily lives, we are called to trust in God's plan, even when unclear. Like Mary and Elizabeth, we should embrace God's will with joy, recognizing His presence in every moment. The moral lesson here is one of trust and rejoicing in God's plan, encouraging us to live with faith and joy, acknowledging God's presence in our midst.