Daily Readings - Fri Dec 20 2019
Isaiah
10Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz,11"Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven."12But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test."13And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also?14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Luke
26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary.28And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.30And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."34And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"35And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God.36And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.37For nothing will be impossible with God."38And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound themes of trust and God's providence. In the first reading from Isaiah, we encounter a moment of divine promise amidst crisis. Ahaz, the King of Judah, is offered a sign by God, but he declines, fearing to tempt the Lord. Despite this refusal, God provides a sign anyway: a virgin shall conceive and bear a son named Immanuel, meaning "God is with us." This prophecy, spoken in a time of uncertainty, offers hope and assurance of God's enduring presence.
In the Gospel, we witness the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy through the Annunciation. The Angel Gabriel visits Mary, greeting her as one favored by God. Mary, though perplexed, accepts the divine plan with humility and faith, responding, "Let it be done to me according to your word." Her yes to God's will marks the beginning of a new era, as Jesus, the Son of the Most High, is born to reign forever.
These readings call us to trust in God's plan, even when circumstances seem uncertain. Like Mary, we are invited to surrender to God's will, trusting in His providence. In our daily lives, this faith enables us to face challenges with courage and hope, knowing that God is always with us. The moral lesson here is the power of faith and surrender, reminding us to embrace God's plan with openness and trust, just as Mary did.