Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 19, 2019
First Reading: Judges 13.2-7, 24-25a
2Now there was a certain man from Zorah, and of the stock of Dan, whose name was Manoah, having a barren wife3And an Angel of the Lord appeared to her, and he said: "You are barren and without children. But you shall conceive and bear a son4Therefore, take care that you do not drink wine or strong drink. Neither shall you eat anything unclean5For you shall conceive and bear a son, whose head no razor shall touch. For he shall be a Nazirite of God, from his infancy and from his mother’s womb. And he shall begin to free Israel from the hand of the Philistines.6And when she had gone to her husband, she said to him: "A man of God came to me, having the countenance of an Angel, exceedingly terrible. And when I had inquired of him, who he was, and where he was from, and what name he was called, he was not willing to tell me7But he responded: ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. Take care that you do not drink wine or strong drink. And you shall not consume anything unclean. For the boy shall be a Nazirite of God from his infancy, from his mother’s womb, even until the day of his death.’ 24And so she bore a son, and she called his name Samson. And the boy grew up, and the Lord blessed him25And the Spirit of the Lord began to be with him in the camp of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol
Psalm 71
1A Psalm of David. Of the sons of Jonadab and the former captives. In you, O Lord, I have hoped; do not let me be brought to ruin forever2Free me by your justice, and rescue me. Incline your ear to me, and save me3Be a God of protection and a place of strength for me, so that you may accomplish my salvation. For you are my firmament and my refuge4Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the sinner, and from the hand of the unjust and those who act against the law5For you, O Lord, are my patience: my hope from my youth, O Lord6In you, I have been confirmed from conception. From my mother’s womb, you are my protector. In you, I will sing forever7I have become to many as if I were a portent, but you are a strong helper8Let my mouth be filled with praise, so that I may sing your glory, your greatness all day long9Do not cast me off in the time of old age. Do not abandon me when my strength will fail10For my enemies have spoken against me. And those who watched for my soul have taken counsel as one11saying: "God has abandoned him. Pursue and overtake him. For there is no one to rescue him.12O God, do not be far from me. O my God, provide for my assistance13May they be confounded, and may they fail, who drag down my soul. Let them be covered with confusion and shame, who seek evils for me14But I will always have hope. And I will add more to all your praise15My mouth will announce your justice, your salvation all day long. For I have not known letters16I will enter into the powers of the Lord. I will be mindful of your justice alone, O Lord17You have taught me from my youth, O God. And so I will declare your wonders continuously18even in old age and with grey hairs. Do not abandon me, O God, while I announce your arm to every future generation: your powe19and your justice, O God, even to the highest great things that you have done. O God, who is like you20How great is the tribulation that you have revealed to me: very great and evil. And so, turning back, you have brought me to life, and you have led me back again from the abyss of the earth21You have multiplied your magnificence. And so, turning back to me, you have consoled me22Therefore, I will confess your truth to you, with the instruments of the Psalter. O God, I will sing psalms to you with stringed instruments, O Holy One of Israel23My lips will exult, when I sing to you, and also my soul, which you have redeemed24And even my tongue will meditate on your justice all day long, when those who seek evils for me have been confounded and set in awe
Gospel: Luke 1.5-25
5There was, in the days of Herod, king of Judea, a certain priest named Zechariah, of the section of Abijah, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth6Now they were both just before God, progressing in all of the commandments and the justifications of the Lord without blame7And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both had become advanced in years8Then it happened that, when he was exercising the priesthood before God, in the order of his section9according to the custom of the priesthood, the lot fell so that he would offer incense, entering into the temple of the Lord10And the entire multitude of the people was praying outside, at the hour of incense11Then there appeared to him an Angel of the Lord, standing at the right of the altar of incense12And upon seeing him, Zechariah was disturbed, and fear fell over him13But the Angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son to you. And you shall call his name John14And there will be joy and exultation for you, and many will rejoice in his nativity15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb16And he will convert many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God17And he will go before him with the spirit and power of Elijah, so that he may turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons, and the incredulous to the prudence of the just, so as to prepare for the Lord a completed people.18And Zechariah said to the Angel: "How may I know this? For I am elderly, and my wife is advanced in years.19And in response, the Angel said to him: "I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I have been sent to speak to you, and to proclaim these things to you20And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak, until the day on which these things shall be, because you have not believed my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.21And the people were waiting for Zechariah. And they wondered why he was being delayed in the temple22Then, when he came out, he was unable to speak to them. And they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he was making signs to them, but he remained mute23And it happened that, after the days of his office were completed, he went away to his house24Then, after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she hid herself for five months, saying25"For the Lord did this for me, at the time when he decided to take away my reproach among men.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two remarkable stories of divine intervention and the fulfillment of God’s promises in the lives of two barren women. In the first reading, from the Book of Judges, we meet Manoah and his wife, who are childless until an angel of the Lord appears to her, announcing that she will bear a son, Samson, who will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite. This child will grow up to deliver Israel from the Philistines. Similarly, in the Gospel, we hear the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, who are also without children in their old age. The angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah, announcing that Elizabeth will bear a son, John, who will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb and prepare the way for the Lord.
Both stories share a common theme: God’s power to bring life out of barrenness and His plan to use these children for extraordinary purposes. In each case, the angelic announcements come with specific instructions—Samson is to be a Nazirite, and John is to live a life of abstinence and be filled with the Spirit. These details highlight the importance of setting apart individuals for God’s work. The readings also emphasize the role of faith and trust in God’s plan, even when circumstances seem impossible. Zechariah’s initial doubt, for example, contrasts with the unwavering faith of Manoah’s wife, who humbly accepts God’s will.
These stories invite us to reflect on our own lives. Like Manoah’s wife and Elizabeth, we may face challenges or feel limited by our circumstances. Yet, the readings remind us that God can bring forth life and purpose even in the most unexpected ways. Just as Samson and John were set apart for God’s work, we too are called to live lives dedicated to His will. Let us ask ourselves: Are we open to God’s plan for us? Are we willing to trust in His timing and purpose, even when it seems unclear? May these readings inspire us to surrender to God’s will, knowing that He can do great things through us, just as He did through Samson and John.