Daily Readings - Sun Dec 31 2023

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

Chapter 17

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.

Chapter 21

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?

Hebrews

Chapter 11

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

Luke

Chapter 2

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.