Daily Readings - Wed Dec 18 2019
Jeremiah
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.
Matthew
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 encounter profound messages of hope and trust. The prophet Jeremiah speaks of a future king from David’s lineage who will bring justice and restore Israel, shifting the people’s focus from past deliverances to God’s ongoing redemption. This prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus, as Matthew’s Gospel illustrates through Joseph’s story. Joseph, faced with Mary’s unexpected pregnancy, chooses obedience and trust, embodying the righteousness foretold by Jeremiah.
The context of Jeremiah’s prophecy is one of exile and longing, offering hope to a people in despair. Matthew’s narrative, set in the midst of ordinary life, shows God’s plan unfolding through unexpected events. Both readings highlight trust in God’s plan, even when circumstances are unclear. Jeremiah’s prophecy and Matthew’s story intertwine, illustrating that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise, Emmanuel, who is always with us.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to trust God’s presence, even in uncertainty. Like Joseph, we are called to obey and have faith, recognizing that God is actively present. The moral lesson here is the importance of trust and obedience, embracing God’s plan with confidence. Let us seek to live with such faith, knowing that God is with us, guiding us through life’s challenges.