Daily Readings - Tue Dec 21 2021

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

In today's readings, we encounter profound messages of joy and trust in God's presence. The first reading from Zephaniah invites us to rejoice, for God has removed judgment and is our strength, dwelling among us. This prophetic text speaks to a restored Israel, offering hope and assurance of God's abiding presence. The Gospel from Luke narrates the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, where the unborn John the Baptist leaps in recognition of Jesus's presence in Mary's womb. Elizabeth's praise and recognition of Mary's blessedness highlight the significance of faith and the joy that comes from encountering God. Both readings connect through themes of joy and God's presence. Zephaniah's vision of a joyful community reflects God's intimate dwelling among His people, while Luke's narrative shows Mary as the bearer of God, bringing joy to those around her. This connection underscores that God's presence is not distant but deeply personal, inviting us to trust and rejoice. In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to recognize God's presence and find joy in it. Like Mary, we are called to trust in God's plan, even when it seems uncertain. The visitation story reminds us that faith leads to encounters with God, bringing joy and transformation. Let us embrace this trust and seek God's presence in our lives, allowing His joy to inspire our actions and decisions.