Daily Readings - Fri Mar 19 2021

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?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.¹³He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.¹⁴I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,¹⁶And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.'"

Romans

Chapter 4

¹³For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.¹⁶That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring--not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,¹⁷as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"--in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.¹⁸In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, "So shall your offspring be."²²That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness."

Gospel - Matthew 1.16, 18-21, 24a or Luke 2.41-51a

Matthew

Chapter 1

¹⁶and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.¹⁹And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.²⁰But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.²¹She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."²⁴When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife,

Luke

Chapter 2

⁴¹Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.⁴²And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.⁴³And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,⁴⁴but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances,⁴⁵and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.⁴⁶After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.⁴⁷And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.⁴⁸And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress."⁴⁹And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"⁵⁰And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.⁵¹And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the mystery of God’s promises and the faith required to trust in His plan. In the first reading from 2 Samuel, Nathan speaks to King David about the divine promise to establish his dynasty forever. This promise points not only to the earthly kingdom of David but ultimately to the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Son of David. The reading reminds us that God’s plans often unfold in ways we cannot fully understand, and His timing is not our own. In the second reading from Romans, St. Paul reflects on the faith of Abraham, who trusted God’s promise to make him the father of many nations even when humanly speaking, it seemed impossible. Paul emphasizes that Abraham’s faith was reckoned as righteousness, and this faith is the foundation of our relationship with God. The reading reminds us that God’s promises are not limited by human logic or circumstances; they are rooted in His faithfulness and grace. The Gospel from Matthew brings us to the quiet, humble moment when Joseph, the husband of Mary, receives a message from an angel in a dream. Faced with a situation that could have led to fear or doubt, Joseph chooses to trust God’s plan. His obedience and faith in the divine message demonstrate the kind of trust we are called to have in our own lives. Just as Joseph accepted Mary as his wife and embraced his role in God’s plan, we are invited to surrender to God’s will, even when it challenges us to go beyond our own understanding. These readings remind us that faith is not about having all the answers but about trusting in God’s promises. Like Abraham, we are called to hope against hope, believing that God can bring life out of nothingness. Like Joseph, we are called to obey even when the path is unclear. And like David, we are reminded that God’s plans are bigger than our own, and His kingdom endures forever. May we, like these figures, allow our faith to guide us, trusting that God’s promises will unfold in His time and in His way.