Daily Readings - Sun Jan 03 2021

¹Rise up to be illuminated, O Jerusalem! For your light has arrived, and the glory of the Lord has risen over you²For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and thick darkness will cover the peoples. Then the Lord will rise above you, and his glory will be seen in you³And the nations will walk in your light, and the kings will walk by the splendor of your rising⁴Lift up your eyes all around and see! All these have been gathered together; they have arrived before you. Your sons will arrive from far away, and your daughters will rise up from your side⁵Then you will see, and you will overflow, and your heart will be amazed and expanded. When the multitude of the sea will have been converted to you, the strength of the nations will approach you⁶A multitude of camels will inundate you: the dromedaries from Midian and Ephah. All those from Sheba will arrive, carrying gold and frankincense, and announcing praise to the Lord

Ephesians

Chapter 3

²Now certainly, you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God, which has been given to me among you³that, by means of revelation, the mystery was made known to me, just as I have written above in a few words⁵In other generations, this was unknown to the sons of men, even as it has now been revealed to his holy Apostles and Prophets in the Spirit⁶so that the Gentiles would be co-heirs, and of the same body, and partners together, by his promise in Christ Jesus, through the Gospel

Matthew

Chapter 2

¹And so, when Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judah, in the days of king Herod, behold, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem²saying: "Where is he who was born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and we have come to adore him.³Now king Herod, hearing this, was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him⁴And gathering together all the leaders of the priests, and the scribes of the people, he consulted with them as to where the Christ would be born⁵And they said to him: "In Bethlehem of Judea. For so it has been written by the prophet⁶‘And you, Bethlehem, the land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah. For from you shall go forth the ruler who shall guide my people Israel.’ ⁷Then Herod, quietly calling the Magi, diligently learned from them the time when the star appeared to them⁸And sending them into Bethlehem, he said: "Go and diligently ask questions about the boy. And when you have found him, report back to me, so that I, too, may come and adore him.⁹And when they had heard the king, they went away. And behold, the star that they had seen in the east went before them, even until, arriving, it stood still above the place where the child was¹⁰Then, seeing the star, they were gladdened by a very great joy¹¹And entering the home, they found the boy with his mother Mary. And so, falling prostrate, they adored him. And opening their treasures, they offered him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh¹²And having received a response in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back by another way to their own region

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the universal call to encounter God’s light and the unity that this light brings to all people. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a vision of Jerusalem as a beacon of light to the nations. The prophet describes how people from all over the world will be drawn to this light, bringing gifts and praising God. This passage was originally addressed to the Israelites in exile, offering them hope that their suffering would one day give way to a time of restoration and glory. Isaiah’s words point to a future where God’s presence would not be confined to one place or people but would radiate outward to embrace all humanity. The second reading from Ephesians builds on this theme by revealing that the mystery of God’s plan, once hidden, has now been made known through the Gospel. Paul emphasizes that Gentiles, non-Jews, are now co-heirs with the people of Israel, united in Christ. This was a revolutionary idea in Paul’s time, as it challenged the exclusivity of God’s covenant with Israel and opened salvation to all people. The reading reminds us that God’s plan is not limited by human boundaries but is universal in scope, inviting everyone to share in the promises of Christ. In the Gospel, Matthew tells the story of the Magi, wise men from the East who followed a star to find the newborn King of the Jews. These Gentiles, guided by a celestial sign, recognized the significance of Jesus’ birth and brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Their journey symbolizes the search for truth and the universal attraction of God’s light. Herod’s reaction, on the other hand, represents the resistance to this light, highlighting the tension between those who seek to embrace God’s plan and those who try to control or suppress it. These readings call us to reflect on how we respond to God’s light in our own lives. Like the Magi, we are invited to seek out the truth with humility and openness, even when it leads us to unexpected places. The readings also remind us of our responsibility to share this light with others, breaking down barriers and embracing the diversity of God’s creation. In a world often divided by fear and exclusion, we are called to be beacons of hope and unity, reflecting the universal love of God revealed in Christ. Let us strive to live in a way that welcomes all people into the radiance of God’s light, just as the Magi were drawn to the star that led them to Jesus.