Daily Readings - Sat Dec 21 2024

First Reading - Zephaniah 3.14-18a or Song of Solomon 2.8-14

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

Song of Solomon

Chapter 2

⁸Bride to Chorus: The voice of my beloved! Behold, he arrives leaping along the mountains, jumping across the hills⁹My beloved is like a doe and like a young stag. Lo, he stands beyond our wall, gazing through the windows, watching through the lattices¹⁰Lo, my beloved speaks to me: Groom to Bride: Rise up, quickly, my love, my dove, my shapely one, and advance¹¹For winter has now past; the rain has decreased and gone away¹²The flowers have appeared in our land; the time for pruning has arrived. The voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land¹³The fig tree has brought forth its green figs; the flowering vines bestow their odor. Rise up, my love, my brilliant one, and advance¹⁴My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollows of the wall, reveal to me your face. Let your voice sound in my ears. For your voice is sweet, and your face is graceful

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.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter powerful themes of joy and trust in God’s providence. The Prophet Zephaniah invites us to rejoice because God has removed judgment and now dwells among His people, bringing salvation and gladness. This passage, written in a time of impending judgment, offers a hopeful vision of God’s presence and deliverance. Similarly, the Gospel from Luke presents the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, where the Holy Spirit fills Elizabeth, and she praises Mary for her faith. This scene highlights the joy of encountering God’s presence and the importance of trusting in His plan. These readings connect through their emphasis on joy and trust. Zephaniah’s prophecy of God’s presence is fulfilled in Luke as Mary carries Jesus, embodying God’s presence. Both readings illustrate that trusting God leads to joy, as seen in Mary’s faith and Elizabeth’s recognition of the Holy Spirit. This connection underscores the fulfillment of prophecy and the joy inherent in trusting God. In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to trust God and find joy in His presence, even in challenging times. Like Mary and Elizabeth, we are called to embrace faith and recognize God’s work around us. The moral lesson here is clear: faith and trust in God lead to joy and a deeper connection with Him. Let us, therefore, approach each day with the confidence that God is with us, bringing us joy and peace.