Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 24, 2023
First Reading: 2 Samuel 7.1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
1Now it happened that, when the king had settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies2he said to the prophet Nathan, "Do you not see that I live in a house of cedar, and that the ark of God has been placed in the midst of tent skins?3And Nathan said to the king: "Go, do all that is in your heart. For the Lord is with you.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 place8And now, so shall you speak to my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pastures, from following the sheep, so that you would be the leader over my people Israel9And I have been with you everywhere that you walked. And I have slain all your enemies before your face. And I have made you a great name, beside the name of the great ones who are upon the earth10And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them, and they shall live there, and they shall no longer be disturbed. Neither shall the sons of iniquity continue to afflict them as before11from the day when I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give rest to you from all your enemies. And the Lord foretells to you that the Lord himself will make a house for you12And 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 kingdom14I 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.’
Psalm 89
1The understanding of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing the mercies of the Lord in eternity. I will announce your truth with my mouth, from generation to generation2For you have said: Mercy will be built in the heavens, unto eternity. Your truth will be prepared there3I have set up a covenant with my elect. I have sworn to David my servant4I will prepare your offspring, even in eternity. And I will build up your throne, from generation to generation5The heavens will confess your miracles, Lord, and also your truth, in the Church of the saints6For who among the clouds is equal to the Lord? Who among the sons of God is like God7God is glorified by the counsel of the saints. He is great and terrible above all those who are around him8O Lord, God of hosts, who is like you? You are powerful, Lord, and your truth is all around you9You rule over the power of the sea, and you even mitigate the movement of its waves10You have humbled the arrogant one, like one who has been wounded. You have scattered your enemies with the arm of your strength11Yours are the heavens, and yours is the earth. You founded the whole world in all its fullness12You created the north and the sea. Tabor and Hermon will exult in your name13Your arm acts with power. Let your hand be strengthened, and let your right hand be exalted14Justice and judgment are the preparation of your throne. Mercy and truth will precede your face15Blessed is the people that knows jubilation. They will walk in the light of your countenance, O Lord16and they will exult in your name all day long, and they will be exalted in your justice17For you are the glory of their virtue, and in your goodness, our horn will be exalted18For our assumption is of the Lord, and it is of our king, the holy one of Israel19Then you spoke in a vision to your holy ones, and you said: I have stationed help with the powerful one, and I have exalted the elect one from my people20I have found my servant David. I have anointed him with my holy oil21For my hand will assist him, and my arm will fortify him22The enemy will have no advantage over him, nor will the son of iniquity be positioned to harm him23And I will cut down his enemies before his face. And those who hate him, I will turn to flight24And my truth and my mercy will be with him. And his horn will be exalted in my name25And I will place his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers26He will invoke me: "You are my father, my God, and the support of my salvation.27And I will make him the first-born, preeminent before the kings of the earth28I will preserve my mercy for him eternally, and my covenant for him faithfully29And I will set his offspring from generation to generation, and his throne like the days of heaven30But if his sons abandon my law, and if they do not walk in my judgments31if they profane my justices, and if they do not keep my commandments32I will visit their iniquities with a rod, and their sins with a beating33But I will not scatter my mercy from him, and I will not do harm to my truth34And I will not profane my covenant, and I will not make void that which proceeds from my lips35I have sworn by my holiness one time: I will not lie to David36his offspring will remain for eternity. And his throne will be like the sun in my sight37and, like the moon, it is perfected in eternity, and it is a faithful witness in heaven38Yet, truly, you have rejected and despised, you have pushed away, my Christ39You have overthrown the covenant of your servant. You have profaned his sanctuary on earth40You have destroyed all his fences. You have made his territory dreadful41All who pass by the way have plundered him. He has become a disgrace to his neighbors42You have exalted the right hand of those who oppress him. You have brought joy to all his enemies43You have diverted the help of his sword, and you have not assisted him in battle44You have torn him away from cleansing, and you have smashed his throne down to the ground45You have reduced the days of his time. You have flooded him with confusion46How long, O Lord? Will you turn away unto the end? Will your wrath flare up like a fire47Remember what my substance is. For could you really have appointed all the sons of men in vain48Who is the man that will live, and yet not see death? Who will rescue his own soul from the hand of the underworld49O Lord, where are your mercies of antiquity, just as you swore to David in your truth50Be mindful, O Lord, of the disgrace of your servants (which I have sustained in my sinews) among many nations51With these, your enemies have reproached you, O Lord; with these, they have reproached the commutation of your Christ52Blessed is the Lord for all eternity. Amen. Amen
Second Reading: Romans 16.25-27
25But to him who is able to confirm you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, in accord with the revelation of the mystery which has been hidden from time immemorial26(which now has been made clear through the Scriptures of the Prophets, in accord with the precept of the eternal God, unto the obedience of faith) which has been made known among all the Gentiles27to God, who alone is wise, through Jesus Christ, to him be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen
Gospel: Luke 1.26-38
26Then, in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent by God, to a city of Galilee named Nazareth27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary28And upon entering, the Angel said to her: "Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.29And when she had heard this, she was disturbed by his words, and she considered what kind of greeting this might be30And the Angel said to her: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God31Behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and you shall bear a son, and you shall call his name: JESUS32He will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. And he will reign in the house of Jacob for eternity33And his kingdom shall have no end.34Then Mary said to the Angel, "How shall this be done, since I do not know man?35And in response, the Angel said to her: "The Holy Spirit will pass over you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And because of this also, the Holy One who will be born of you shall be called the Son of God36And behold, your cousin Elizabeth has herself also conceived a son, in her old age. And this is the sixth month for her who is called barren37For no word will be impossible with God.38Then Mary said: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word." And the Angel departed from her
Sermon
In today's readings, we explore the theme of God's promises and the call to faith, weaving together narratives from the Old Testament, the Epistles, and the Gospels. The first reading from 2 Samuel recounts Nathan's prophecy to David, where God promises to establish David's dynasty, highlighting His faithfulness and eternal plans. The Gospel of Luke presents the Annunciation, where Mary, with unwavering faith, accepts God's will, exemplifying obedience and trust. The epistle from Romans connects these narratives, revealing God's wisdom and glory through the mystery of Christ, now made known to all.
These readings intertwine to illustrate God's overarching plan. The promise to David finds its fulfillment in Jesus, the Messiah, while Romans underscores the revelation of this plan through Christ. Mary's response embodies the faith required to embrace God's promises, even when they seem improbable.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to trust in God's plan, even amidst uncertainty. Like Mary, we are called to surrender to God's will with faith and obedience. As we navigate life's challenges, let us reflect on the surrender that comes from deep faith, allowing God's plan to unfold in our lives, just as it did for David and Mary.