Daily Readings - Sun Dec 29 2019

²Sons, listen to the judgment of your father, and act accordingly, so that you may be saved³For God has honored the father in the sons, and, when seeking the judgment of the mother, he has confirmed it in the children⁴He who loves God will plead with him on behalf of sins, and will keep himself away from sin, and will be heeded in the prayers of his days⁵And, like one who stores up treasure, so also is he who honors his mother⁶He who honors his father will find happiness in his own children, and he will be heeded in the day of his prayer¹²Do not boast in the disgrace of your father; for his shame is not your glory¹³For the glory of a man is from the honor of his father, and a father without honor is a discredit to the son¹⁴Son, support your father in his old age, and do not grieve him in his life

Colossians

Chapter 3

¹²Therefore, clothe yourselves like the elect of God: holy and beloved, with hearts of mercy, kindness, humility, modesty, and patience¹³Support one another, and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive one another. For just as the Lord has forgiven you, so also must you do¹⁴And above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection¹⁵And let the peace of Christ lift up your hearts. For in this peace, you have been called, as one body. And be thankful¹⁶Let the word of Christ live in you in abundance, with all wisdom, teaching and correcting one another, with psalms, hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing to God with the grace in your hearts¹⁷Let everything whatsoever that you do, whether in word or in deed, be done all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him

Matthew

Chapter 2

¹³And after they had gone away, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: "Rise up, and take the boy and his mother, and flee into Egypt. And remain there until I tell you. For it will happen that Herod will seek the boy to destroy him.¹⁴And getting up, he took the boy and his mother by night, and withdrew into Egypt¹⁵And he remained there, until the death of Herod, in order to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Out of Egypt, I called my son.¹⁹Then, when Herod had passed away, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph in Egypt²⁰saying: "Rise up, and take the boy and his mother, and go into the land of Israel. For those who were seeking the life of the boy have passed away.²¹And rising up, he took the boy and his mother, and he went into the land of Israel²²Then, hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned in sleep, he withdrew into parts of Galilee²³And arriving, he lived in a city which is called Nazareth, in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: "For he shall be called a Nazarene.

Sermon

The readings today guide us through themes of respect, community, and trust in God. The first reading from Sirach emphasizes the importance of honoring our parents, not just as a moral duty, but as a way to honor God. It reminds us that our actions towards our parents reflect our relationship with Him and lead to personal happiness. The second reading from Colossians expands this idea to the broader Christian community, urging us to embrace virtues like mercy, kindness, and patience. It highlights forgiveness and charity as essential bonds within our community, encouraging us to let Christ's peace guide our hearts and actions. The Gospel from Matthew illustrates these virtues through Joseph's obedience and trust in God. Joseph's actions, guided by divine messages, show us how to trust God's plan, even in uncertain times. His journey to Egypt and back to Nazareth exemplifies fulfillment of prophecy and divine guidance. This story teaches us to trust God's plan, just as Joseph did, and to live out our faith in our daily lives. In applying these lessons, we are reminded to respect and care for our families, forgive one another, and trust in God's providence. Just as Joseph trusted God, we too can navigate life's challenges with faith. Let us strive to live with the virtues mentioned, fostering a community of love and peace, and trusting in God's plan for our lives.