Daily Readings - Mon Mar 20 2023

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

In today's readings, we encounter profound themes of faith, trust, and the fulfillment of God's promises. The first reading from 2 Samuel recounts Nathan's message to David, highlighting God's promise to establish David's kingdom forever and the future Messiah's role in building a house for God. This sets the stage for understanding God's covenant with His people. The second reading from Romans expands on this promise, emphasizing that Abraham's faith, rather than adherence to the law, was the foundation of God's covenant. This underscores the universal nature of God's grace, extending beyond the Jewish people to all who have faith. The Gospel from Matthew brings these themes to fruition through the story of Joseph. Joseph's trust in God's plan, despite the unexpected circumstances of Mary's pregnancy, exemplifies the kind of faith that accepts God's will without question. The angel's message assures Joseph that the child is of the Holy Spirit, reinforcing the divine nature of Jesus' mission to save humanity from sin. These readings invite us to reflect on our own faith and trust in God's promises. Like Joseph, we are called to embrace God's plan, even when it challenges our understanding. In our daily lives, we can apply this by trusting in God's providence, even in uncertain times. The moral lesson here is clear: faith and trust in God's promises lead us to fulfill our role in His divine plan, just as they did for David, Abraham, and Joseph. In conclusion, today's readings remind us that God's promises are fulfilled in unexpected ways, and our response should be one of unwavering faith and trust. Let us strive to emulate the examples of David, Abraham, and Joseph, trusting in God's plan and living out our faith in everyday life.