Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 21, 2023
First Reading: Zephaniah 3.14-18a or Song of Solomon 2.8-14
14Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!15The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.16On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.17The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.18I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach.
8The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills.9My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, there he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, looking through the lattice.10My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away,11for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.12The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.13The fig tree ripens its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.14O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the crannies of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
Psalm 33
1Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.2Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!3Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.4For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.5He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.6By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.7He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.8Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!9For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.10The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.11The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!13The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man;14from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,15he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.16The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.17The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.18Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,19that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.20Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.21For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.22Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
Gospel: Luke 1.39-45
39In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.41And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,42and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!43And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
Sermon
The first reading from Zephaniah invites us to rejoice and exult with all our hearts, for the Lord has taken away judgment and turned aside our foes. This prophet speaks to a people who have endured hardship and judgment, but now they are called to trust in God’s presence and salvation. The Lord is in their midst, and they need no longer fear evil. Zephaniah’s words are a call to hope and joy, reminding us that even in the darkest times, God’s love and strength are with us. The reading concludes with a promise of gathering and restoration, emphasizing that God’s people will no longer suffer disgrace.
The Gospel from Luke presents a beautiful scene of encounter and joy. Mary, having received the news of her pregnancy with Jesus, travels to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who is also pregnant with John the Baptist. Upon Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, and her unborn child leaps for joy. Elizabeth’s words of praise and recognition of Mary as the mother of the Lord highlight the profound moment of grace and faith. Mary’s visitation is not just a family visit but a spiritual encounter that reveals the miracle of life and the presence of God. Elizabeth’s exclamation, “Blessed are you who believed,” underscores the importance of faith and trust in God’s promises.
These readings are deeply connected by the theme of joy and trust in God’s presence. Zephaniah calls us to rejoice because the Lord is in our midst, while Luke’s account shows us how faith and trust in God’s plan can lead to moments of profound joy and encounter. In our daily lives, we are invited to trust in God’s promises, even when the path is uncertain. Like Mary, we are called to say “yes” to God’s will, knowing that He is always with us. Let us cultivate the kind of faith that allows us to rejoice in the midst of challenges, knowing that God’s love and strength are our constant companions. May we, like Elizabeth, recognize the presence of God in those around us and respond with hearts full of joy and gratitude.