Daily Readings - Fri May 31 2024

First Reading - Zephaniah 3.14-18 or Romans 12.9-16

¹⁴Give praise, daughter of Zion. Shout joyfully, Israel. Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem¹⁵The Lord has taken away your judgment; he has turned aside your foes. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall no longer fear evil¹⁶In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, "Do not be afraid," and to Zion, "Do not let your hands be weakened.¹⁷The Lord your God is the strength in your midst; he will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness. In his love, he will be silent. He will exult over you with praise¹⁸The triflers who withdrew from the law, I will gather together, because they were from you, so that you may no longer suffer disgrace over them

Romans

Chapter 12

⁹Let love be without falseness: hating evil, clinging to what is good¹⁰loving one another with fraternal charity, surpassing one another in honor¹¹in solicitude, not lazy; in spirit, fervent; serving the Lord¹²in hope, rejoicing; in tribulation, enduring; in prayer, ever-willing¹³in the difficulties of the saints, sharing; in hospitality, attentive¹⁴Bless those who are persecuting you: bless, and do not curse¹⁵Rejoice with those who are rejoicing. Weep with those who are weeping¹⁶Be of the same mind toward one another: not savoring what is exalted, but consenting in humility. Do not choose to seem wise to yourself

Luke

Chapter 1

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 invite us to reflect on the themes of joy, trust, and the transformative power of God’s presence in our lives. In the first reading from Zephaniah, we hear a prophetic call to rejoice because God has removed judgment and fear, and now dwells in the midst of His people. This passage, written in a time of great turmoil, offers a message of hope and consolation, reminding us that God’s love and strength are always with us, even in the darkest moments. The prophet urges us not to be afraid, for God rejoices over us with gladness and will bring us peace. In the Gospel, we find a beautiful expression of joy and faith in the encounter between Mary and Elizabeth. Mary, upon learning of her cousin’s pregnancy, hastens to her side, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, greets Mary as the mother of the Lord. Mary’s response, known as the Magnificat, is a hymn of praise that reflects her deep trust in God’s plan and her recognition of His mercy and justice. She acknowledges the greatness of God and the humility of her own state, yet she is filled with joy because she knows that God has done something extraordinary through her. These readings are deeply connected. Both Zephaniah and Luke invite us to trust in God’s plan and to find joy in His presence. Zephaniah reminds us that God’s love is not distant but is actively at work in our lives, while Luke shows us how Mary’s faith and openness to God’s will lead to a moment of profound grace and transformation. In our own lives, we are called to embrace this same spirit of trust and joy. When we face challenges or uncertainties, we can turn to God, knowing that He is always with us, strengthening us and guiding us. Like Mary, we can say, “My soul magnifies the Lord,” even in the midst of trials, because we trust that His mercy and love will see us through. Let us reflect on how we can cultivate this kind of faith and joy in our daily lives. Are we open to God’s plan, even when it seems unexpected or difficult? Do we trust that He is always working for our good? Let us ask for the grace to see God’s presence in our midst, to rejoice in His love, and to trust in His providence, just as Mary and the people of Zephaniah’s time did. May our hearts be filled with the same joy and trust, and may we, like Mary, be bearers of God’s love and hope to those around us.