Daily Readings - Mon Dec 21 2020

First Reading - Zephaniah 3.14-18a or Song of Solomon 2.8-14

¹⁴Give praise, daughter of Zion. Shout joyfully, Israel. Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem¹⁵The Lord has taken away your judgment; he has turned aside your foes. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall no longer fear evil¹⁶In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, "Do not be afraid," and to Zion, "Do not let your hands be weakened.¹⁷The Lord your God is the strength in your midst; he will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness. In his love, he will be silent. He will exult over you with praise¹⁸The triflers who withdrew from the law, I will gather together, because they were from you, so that you may no longer suffer disgrace over them

Song of Solomon

Chapter 2

⁸Bride to Chorus: The voice of my beloved! Behold, he arrives leaping along the mountains, jumping across the hills⁹My beloved is like a doe and like a young stag. Lo, he stands beyond our wall, gazing through the windows, watching through the lattices¹⁰Lo, my beloved speaks to me: Groom to Bride: Rise up, quickly, my love, my dove, my shapely one, and advance¹¹For winter has now past; the rain has decreased and gone away¹²The flowers have appeared in our land; the time for pruning has arrived. The voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land¹³The fig tree has brought forth its green figs; the flowering vines bestow their odor. Rise up, my love, my brilliant one, and advance¹⁴My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollows of the wall, reveal to me your face. Let your voice sound in my ears. For your voice is sweet, and your face is graceful

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.

Sermon

Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the themes of joy, trust, and the presence of God in our lives. The first reading from Zephaniah is a prophetic call to rejoice, urging the people to shout with joy because the Lord has removed judgment and is in their midst. This passage, set in a time of hope after judgment, reminds us that God’s presence brings salvation and comfort. Similarly, the Gospel from Luke recounts the Visitation, where Mary visits Elizabeth, and both women, filled with the Holy Spirit, recognize the divine presence among them. Elizabeth’s praise of Mary and the unborn John the Baptist highlights the power of faith and recognition of God’s work. These readings are connected by the thread of joy and trust in God’s plan. Zephaniah’s message is one of hope after repentance, while Luke’s narrative shows the early signs of God’s plan for salvation through Jesus. Both emphasize that recognizing God’s presence leads to joy and trust. The leaping of John the Baptist in Elizabeth’s womb and her subsequent praise of Mary illustrate the immediate and profound impact of encountering God’s presence. In our daily lives, we are called to cultivate this same joy and trust. Like Mary and Elizabeth, we can find joy in recognizing God’s presence, even in uncertain times. Trusting in God’s plan, as they did, allows us to face the future with faith. Let us reflect on how we can remain open to God’s presence and trust in His plan, finding joy in the knowledge that He is always with us. This reflection reminds us that faith and rejoicing in God’s presence are essential to our spiritual journey.