Daily Readings - Tue Dec 24 2019
2 Samuel
1Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies,2the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent."3And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you."4But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan,5"Go and tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to dwell in?8Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel.9And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.10And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly,11from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house.12When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.16And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.'"
Luke
67And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,68"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,70as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,71that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;72to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,73the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us74that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear,75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.76And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,77to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,78because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on God’s plan of salvation and the fulfillment of His promises. In the first reading from 2 Samuel, we hear of King David’s desire to build a house for God, but God responds by reversing the offer: He will build a house for David instead. This passage marks a pivotal moment in Israel’s history, as God establishes the Davidic covenant, promising that David’s dynasty will endure forever. This covenant is not just about a physical house but about the enduring kingdom of God, which will find its ultimate fulfillment in Christ.
In the Gospel, Zechariah’s canticle, known as the Benedictus, is a beautiful expression of praise and prophecy. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Zechariah rejoices in the fulfillment of God’s promises, particularly through the house of David. He speaks of the horn of salvation, a messianic figure who will bring light to those in darkness and guide our feet in the way of peace. This canticle connects the Old Testament promise of a Davidic kingdom with the New Testament reality of Jesus Christ, who is the true King and Savior.
These readings remind us that God’s plan is always bigger than our own. While David wanted to build a house for God, God had a greater plan to build a house for David—one that would culminate in the coming of Jesus. Similarly, Zechariah’s prophecy points us to the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises in Christ. In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to trust in God’s timing and plan, even when our own desires or expectations seem unfulfilled. Let us, like Zechariah, sing with joy, knowing that God’s mercy and justice are at work in our lives, guiding us in the way of peace.