Daily Readings - Tue Aug 15 2023
Revelation
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
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 stars2And being with child, she cried out while giving birth, and she was suffering in order to give birth3And 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
1 Corinthians
20But now Christ has risen again from the dead, as the first-fruits of those who sleep21For certainly, death came through a man. And so, the resurrection of the dead came through a ma22And just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be brought to life23but each one in his proper order: Christ, as the first-fruits, and next, those who are of Christ, who have believed in his advent24Afterwards is the end, when he will have handed over the kingdom to God the Father, when he will have emptied all principality, and authority, and power25For it is necessary for him to reign, until he has set all his enemies under his feet26Lastly, the enemy called death shall be destroyed. For he has subjected all things under his feet. And although he says
Luke
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 Saviour48For he has looked with favor on the humility of his handmaid. For behold, from this time, all generations shall call me blessed49For he who is great has done great things for me, and holy is his name50And his mercy is from generation to generations for those who fear him51He has accomplished powerful deeds with his arm. He has scattered the arrogant in the intentions of their heart52He has deposed the powerful from their seat, and he has exalted the humble53He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty54He has taken up his servant Israel, mindful of his mercy55just as he spoke to our fathers: to Abraham and to his offspring forever.56Then Mary stayed with her for about three months. And she returned to her own house
Sermon
The readings today present us with powerful imagery and profound truths about God’s plan of salvation. In the first reading from Revelation, we encounter a dramatic vision: a woman clothed with the sun, a dragon seeking to devour her child, and the ultimate triumph of God’s kingdom. This apocalyptic scene symbolizes the cosmic struggle between good and evil, with the woman representing both Mary and the Church. The dragon, or Satan, seeks to destroy God’s plan, but the child, Jesus, is taken up to God’s throne, signaling the ultimate victory of God over evil.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians ties this cosmic struggle to the resurrection of Christ. Paul explains that just as death came through Adam, so too has the resurrection of the dead come through Christ. Jesus’ resurrection is the first-fruits of a greater harvest, and through him, all things will be brought under God’s authority. This reading reminds us that our faith is rooted in the hope of eternal life and the final triumph of God over all enemies, including death itself.
In the Gospel, we see the humanity of this divine plan unfolding. Mary, carrying Jesus in her womb, visits Elizabeth, who is carrying John the Baptist. Their encounter is filled with joy and recognition of the miraculous work of God. Mary’s Magnificat, a hymn of praise, reflects her deep trust in God’s plan and her humility in accepting her role as the Mother of God. This passage invites us to reflect on our own trust in God’s providence and our willingness to cooperate with his plan, even when it seems challenging or mysterious.
These readings remind us that our lives are part of a much larger story—one of struggle and triumph, death and resurrection. Like Mary, we are called to trust in God’s plan, even when the road ahead seems uncertain. May we, like Elizabeth, recognize the presence of God in our midst and, like Mary, magnify the Lord with joy and gratitude. Let us remember that God’s mercy endures forever, and his plan for us is always one of love and salvation.