Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 31, 2023
First Reading: Genesis 15.1-6; 17.3b-5, 15-16; 21.1-7
1And so, these things having been transacted, the word of the Lord came to Abram by a vision, saying: "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your protector, and your reward is exceedingly great.2And Abram said: "Lord God, what will you give to me? I may go without children. And the son of the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus.3And Abram added: "Yet to me you have not given offspring. And behold, my servant born in my house will be my heir.4And immediately the word of the Lord came to him, saying: "This one will not be your heir. But he who will come from your loins, the same will you have for your heir.5And he brought him outside, and he said to him, "Take in the heavens, and number the stars, if you can." And he said to him, "So also will your offspring be.6Abram believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice
3Abram fell prone on his face4And God said to him: "I AM, and my covenant is with you, and you will be the father of many nations5No longer will your name be called Abram. But you will be called Abraham, for I have established you as the father of many nations15God said also to Abraham: "Your wife Sarai, you shall not call Sarai, but Sarah16And I will bless her, and from her I will give you a son, whom I will bless, and he will be among the nations, and the kings of the peoples will rise from him.
1Then the Lord visited Sarah, just as he had promised; and he fulfilled what he had spoken2And she conceived and gave birth to a son in her old age, at the time that God had foretold to her3And Abraham called the name of his son, whom Sarah bore for him, Isaac4And he circumcised him on the eighth day, just as God had instructed him5when he was one hundred years old. Indeed, at this stage of his father’s life, Isaac was born6And Sarah said: "God has brought laughter to me. Whoever will hear of it will laugh with me.7And again, she said: "Hearing this, who would believe Abraham, that Sarah breast-fed a son, to whom she gave birth, despite being elderly?
Psalm 105
1Alleluia. Confess to the Lord, and invoke his name. Announce his works among the nations2Sing to him, and sing psalms to him. Describe all his wonders3Be praised in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice4Seek the Lord, and be confirmed. Seek his face always5Remember his miracles, which he has done, his portents and the judgments of his mouth6you offspring of Abraham his servant, you sons of Jacob his elect7He is the Lord our God. His judgments are throughout the entire earth8He has remembered his covenant for all ages: the word that he entrusted to a thousand generations9which he assigned to Abraham, and his oath to Isaac10And he stationed the same for Jacob with a precept, and for Israel with an eternal testament11saying: To you, I will give the land of Canaan, the allotment of your inheritance12Though they may have been but a small number, very few and foreigners there13and though they passed from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people14he allowed no man to harm them, and he reproved kings on their behalf15Do not be willing to touch my Christ, and do not be willing to malign my prophets16And he called a famine upon the land, and he crushed every foundation of the bread17He sent a man before them: Joseph, who had been sold as a slave18They humbled his feet in shackles; the iron pierced his soul19until his word arrived. The eloquence of the Lord inflamed him20The king sent and released him; he was the ruler of the people, and he dismissed him21He established him as master of his house and ruler of all his possessions22so that he might instruct his princes as himself, and teach his elders prudence23And Israel entered into Egypt, and Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham24And he helped his people greatly, and he strengthened them over their enemies25He turned their heart to hate his people, and to deal deceitfully with his servants26He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, the one whom he chose27He placed with them signs of his word, and portents in the land of Ham28He sent darkness and made it conceal, and he did not afflict them with his speech29He turned their waters into blood, and he slaughtered their fish30Their land brought forth frogs, even in the inner chambers of their kings31He spoke, and there came forth common flies and gnats, in every region32He gave them a shower of hail and a burning fire, in the same land33And he struck their vineyards and their fig trees, and he crushed the trees of their region34He spoke, and the locust came forth, and the caterpillar, of which there was no number35And it devoured all the grass in their land, and it consumed all the fruit of their land36And he struck all the first-born in their land, the first-fruits of all their labor37And he led them out with silver and gold, and there was not an infirm one among their tribes38Egypt was joyful at their departure, for the fear of them lay heavy upon them39He spread a cloud for their protection, and a fire, to give them light through the night40They petitioned, and the quail came; and he satisfied them with the bread of heaven41He ruptured the rock and the waters flowed: rivers gushed in the dry land42For he had called to mind his holy word, which he kept near to his servant Abraham43And he led forth his people in exultation, and his elect in rejoicing44And he gave them the regions of the Gentiles, and they possessed the labors of the peoples45so that they might observe his justifications, and inquire about his law
Second Reading: Hebrews 11.8, 11-12, 17-19
8By faith, the one called Abraham obeyed, going out to the place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going11By faith also, Sarah herself, being barren, received the ability to conceive offspring, even though she was past that age in life. For she believed him to be faithful, who had promised12Because of this, there were also born, from one who himself was as if dead, a mulititude like the stars of heaven, who are, like the sand of the seashore, innumerable17By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac, so that he who had received the promises was offering up his only son18To him, it was said, "Through Isaac, shall your offspring be summoned,19indicating that God is even able to raise up from the dead. And thus, he also established him as a parable
Gospel: Luke 2.22, 25-27, 34-35, 39-40
22And after the days of her purification were fulfilled, according to the law of Moses, they brought him to Jerusalem, in order to present him to the Lord25And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and God-fearing, awaiting the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Spirit was with him26And he had received an answer from the Holy Spirit: that he would not see his own death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord27And he went with the Spirit to the temple. And when the child Jesus was brought in by his parents, in order to act on his behalf according to the custom of the law34And Simeon blessed them, and he said to his mother Mary: "Behold, this one has been set for the ruin and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and as a sign which will be contradicted35And a sword will pass through your own soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.39And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their city, Nazareth40Now the child grew, and he was strengthened with the fullness of wisdom. And the grace of God was in him
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through the narratives of Abraham and Sarah, the faith of the early patriarchs, and the presentation of Jesus in the temple. The first reading from Genesis recounts God's covenant with Abraham, promising numerous descendants despite his and Sarah's advanced age. This story underscores God's faithfulness and the transformative power of trust. The second reading from Hebrews commends the faith of Abraham and Sarah, who believed God's promise against all odds, and Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac, illustrating unwavering trust in God's plan. The Gospel from Luke presents Simeon, a man of deep faith, who recognizes Jesus as the Messiah, highlighting the fulfillment of God's promise and the spiritual struggle that accompanies it.
These readings intertwine to reveal the central theme of faith and trust in God's promises. Abraham and Sarah's story shows that faith can lead to miraculous outcomes, even in the face of impossibility. Hebrews commends their faith as a model for believers, emphasizing that true faith leads to actions that align with God's will. In Luke, Simeon's recognition of Jesus as the Messiah illustrates the fulfillment of God's promise and the spiritual challenges that accompany it, reminding us that faith is not without its trials.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to trust in God's plan, even when circumstances seem insurmountable. Like Abraham and Sarah, we are called to have faith in God's promises, knowing that He is faithful. Like Simeon, we are to recognize the fulfillment of God's plan in our lives and be prepared for the spiritual struggles that come with it. The moral lesson is clear: faith is not just belief but trust in action, leading us to align our lives with God's will, even when the path is uncertain. Let us, therefore, embrace faith as Abraham and Sarah did, trusting in God's promises and living out our faith in obedience and trust.