Daily Readings - Tue Dec 24 2019
2 Samuel
1Now it happened that, when the king had settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies2he said to the prophet Nathan, "Do you not see that I live in a house of cedar, and that the ark of God has been placed in the midst of tent skins?3And Nathan said to the king: "Go, do all that is in your heart. For the Lord is with you.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 place8And now, so shall you speak to my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pastures, from following the sheep, so that you would be the leader over my people Israel9And I have been with you everywhere that you walked. And I have slain all your enemies before your face. And I have made you a great name, beside the name of the great ones who are upon the earth10And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them, and they shall live there, and they shall no longer be disturbed. Neither shall the sons of iniquity continue to afflict them as before11from the day when I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give rest to you from all your enemies. And the Lord foretells to you that the Lord himself will make a house for you12And 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 kingdom16And your house shall be faithful, and your kingdom shall be before your face, for eternity, and your throne shall be secure continuously.’
Luke
67And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit. And he prophesied, saying68"Blessed is the Lord God of Israel. For he has visited and has wrought the redemption of his people69And he has raised up a horn of salvation for us, in the house of David his servant70just as he spoke by the mouth of his holy Prophets, who are from ages past71salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all those who hate us72to accomplish mercy with our fathers, and to call to mind his holy testament73the oath, which he swore to Abraham, our father, that he would grant to us74so that, having been freed from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear75in holiness and in justice before him, throughout all our days76And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High. For you will go before the face of the Lord: to prepare his ways77to give knowledge of salvation to his people for the remission of their sins78through the heart of the mercy of our God, by which, descending from on high, he has visited us79to illuminate those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to direct our feet in the way of peace.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on God’s plan of salvation and the fulfillment of His promises. In the first reading from 2 Samuel, we hear of King David’s desire to build a house for God, but God responds by reversing the offer: He will build a house for David instead. This passage marks a pivotal moment in Israel’s history, as God establishes the Davidic covenant, promising that David’s dynasty will endure forever. This covenant is not just about a physical house but about the enduring kingdom of God, which will find its ultimate fulfillment in Christ.
In the Gospel, Zechariah’s canticle, known as the Benedictus, is a beautiful expression of praise and prophecy. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Zechariah rejoices in the fulfillment of God’s promises, particularly through the house of David. He speaks of the horn of salvation, a messianic figure who will bring light to those in darkness and guide our feet in the way of peace. This canticle connects the Old Testament promise of a Davidic kingdom with the New Testament reality of Jesus Christ, who is the true King and Savior.
These readings remind us that God’s plan is always bigger than our own. While David wanted to build a house for God, God had a greater plan to build a house for David—one that would culminate in the coming of Jesus. Similarly, Zechariah’s prophecy points us to the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises in Christ. In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to trust in God’s timing and plan, even when our own desires or expectations seem unfulfilled. Let us, like Zechariah, sing with joy, knowing that God’s mercy and justice are at work in our lives, guiding us in the way of peace.