Daily Readings - Thu Mar 19 2020

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 place¹²And 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 kingdom¹³He himself shall build a house to my name. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom, even forever¹⁴I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. And if he will commit any iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and with the wounds of the sons of men¹⁶And your house shall be faithful, and your kingdom shall be before your face, for eternity, and your throne shall be secure continuously.’

Romans

Chapter 4

¹³For the Promise to Abraham, and to his posterity, that he would inherit the world, was not through the law, but through the justice of faith¹⁶Because of this, it is from faith according to grace that the Promise is ensured for all posterity, not only for those who are of the law, but also for those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all before God¹⁷in whom he believed, who revives the dead and who calls those things that do not exist into existence. For it is written: "I have established you as the father of many nations.¹⁸And he believed, with a hope beyond hope, so that he might become the father of many nations, according to what was said to him: "So shall your posterity be.²²And for this reason, it was reputed to him unto justice

Gospel - Matthew 1.16, 18-21, 24a or Luke 2.41-51a

Matthew

Chapter 1

¹⁶And Jacob conceived Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ¹⁸Now 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.²⁴Then Joseph, arising from sleep, did just as the Angel of the Lord had instructed him, and he accepted her as his wife

Luke

Chapter 2

⁴¹And his parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the time of the solemnity of Passover⁴²And when he had become twelve years old, they ascended to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast day⁴³And having completed the days, when they returned, the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem. And his parents did not realize this⁴⁴But, supposing that he was in the company, they went a day’s journey, seeking him among their relatives and acquaintances⁴⁵And not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him⁴⁶And it happened that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, listening to them and questioning them⁴⁷But all who listened to him were astonished over his prudence and his responses⁴⁸And upon seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: "Son, why have you acted this way toward us? Behold, your father and I were seeking you in sorrow.⁴⁹And he said to them: "How is it that you were seeking me? For did you not know that it is necessary for me to be in these things which are of my Father?⁵⁰And they did not understand the word that he spoke to them⁵¹And he descended with them and went to Nazareth. And he was subordinate to them. And his mother kept all these words in her heart

Sermon

The readings today weave together a beautiful tapestry of God’s promise, faith, and trust in His plan. In the first reading from 2 Samuel, Nathan speaks to David about the divine promise: a dynasty that will last forever, with God as a father to David’s offspring. This is not just a political promise but a spiritual one, rooted in God’s faithfulness and love. The second reading from Romans deepens this by highlighting Abraham’s faith. Paul reminds us that Abraham’s trust in God’s promise—to be the father of many nations—was not based on human effort or law but on grace and faith. This faith, Paul says, is the foundation of our relationship with God. In the Gospel, Matthew presents Joseph, a man of quiet faith, who trusts God’s plan even when it seems unexpected. An angel assures him that Mary’s child is of the Holy Spirit, and Joseph obediently accepts his role in God’s plan. These readings are deeply connected. The promise to David and the faith of Abraham find their fulfillment in Jesus, the Messiah, who is the ultimate expression of God’s faithfulness. Joseph’s trust in the face of uncertainty mirrors the faith of Abraham and the hope of David. Together, they remind us that God’s promises are not limited by human understanding or circumstances. They call us to trust in God’s timing and plan, even when the path ahead seems unclear. In our daily lives, these readings invite us to reflect on our own faith and trust in God. Like Abraham, we are called to hope beyond hope, to believe in God’s promises even when they seem impossible. Like Joseph, we are called to obedience and trust, even when the circumstances of our lives are challenging or unexpected. And like David, we are reminded that God’s faithfulness endures forever, even when our own efforts or plans may fail. May we, like these biblical figures, place our trust in God, knowing that His plan is always greater than our own.