Daily Readings - Sat Dec 12 2020

First Reading - Zechariah 2.10-13 or Revelation 11.19a; 12.1, 3-6a, 10ab

¹⁰Sing praise and rejoice, daughter of Zion. For behold, I approach, and I will dwell in your midst, says the Lord¹¹And many nations will be joined to the Lord in that day, and they will be my people, and I will dwell in your midst. And you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you¹²And the Lord will possess his portion, Judah, in the sanctified land, and still he will single out Jerusalem¹³Let all flesh be silent before the face of the Lord: for he has arisen from his holy dwelling place

Revelation

Chapter 11

¹⁹And the temple of God was opened in heaven. And the Ark of his Testament was seen in his temple. And there were lightnings and voices and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail

Chapter 12

¹And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars³And another sign was seen in heaven. And behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems⁴And his tail drew down a third part of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman, who was about to give birth, so that, when she had brought forth, he might devour her son⁵And she brought forth a male child, who was soon to rule all the nations with an iron rod. And her son was taken up to God and to his throne⁶And the woman fled into solitude, where a place was being held ready by God, so that they might pasture her in that place for one thousand two hundred and sixty days¹⁰And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying: "Now have arrived salvation and virtue and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been cast down, he who accused them before our God day and night

Luke

Chapter 1

³⁹And in those days, Mary, rising up, traveled quickly into the hill country, to a city of Judah⁴⁰And she entered into the house of Zechariah, and she greeted Elizabeth⁴¹And it happened that, as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit⁴²And she cried out with a loud voice and said: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb⁴³And how does this concern me, so that the mother of my Lord would come to me⁴⁴For behold, as the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy⁴⁵And blessed are you who believed, for the things that were spoken to you by the Lord shall be accomplished.⁴⁶And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord⁴⁷And my spirit leaps for joy in God my Saviour

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments of joy and revelation. The first reading from Zechariah speaks of a time when God will dwell in the midst of His people, and many nations will join Israel in worshiping the Lord. This prophecy points to a future where God’s presence is universally acknowledged, and His people are united in His sanctified land. The passage invites us to silence and awe before the majesty of God, who arises from His holy dwelling place to fulfill His promises. The Gospel, on the other hand, brings us to the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, where the unborn John the Baptist leaps for joy at the presence of Jesus in Mary’s womb. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, praises Mary for her faith and recognizes the blessedness of the fruit of her womb. Mary responds with the Magnificat, a hymn of praise that glorifies God for His mercy and faithfulness. These readings are deeply connected. Zechariah’s prophecy of God’s dwelling among His people finds its fulfillment in the Gospel, where Mary carries the incarnate God within her. Just as Zechariah speaks of God’s presence bringing joy and unity to all nations, the Visitation reveals the joy of encountering God’s presence in the flesh. Elizabeth and Mary’s meeting is not just a personal encounter but a moment of divine revelation, where the Holy Spirit inspires recognition of God’s work. The leap of John the Baptist in Elizabeth’s womb symbolizes the universal rejoicing that Zechariah prophesied, as even the unborn child recognizes the presence of the Messiah. In our daily lives, these readings invite us to cultivate a deep awareness of God’s presence among us. Like Elizabeth, we are called to recognize the Lord’s visitation and to rejoice in His nearness. Mary’s faith and trust in God’s promises serve as a model for us, reminding us that our lives are not our own but are part of a larger plan to bring God’s love to the world. Let us, like Mary, magnify the Lord and allow our spirits to leap for joy in God our Savior. May we, too, be bearers of God’s presence, sharing the Good News with others and living as children of a merciful and faithful God.