Daily Readings - Fri Dec 08 2017
First Reading - Genesis 3.9-15, 20
Genesis
9And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.11And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?12And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.13And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.14And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.20And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
Second Reading - Ephesians 1.3-6, 11-12
Ephesians
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:12That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Gospel - Luke 1.26-38
Luke
26And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,27To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.28And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.36And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.37For with God nothing shall be impossible.38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through pivotal moments in scripture that illuminate the human condition and God's plan of redemption. The first reading from Genesis recounts the aftermath of the Fall, where Adam and Eve confront their sin, leading to separation from God. This narrative underscores the consequences of disobedience and the introduction of suffering into the world. The second reading from Ephesians shifts our gaze to the blessings bestowed upon us in Christ, emphasizing predestination and adoption as children of God, highlighting the divine plan to restore humanity. The Gospel presents the Annunciation, where Mary's faithful "yes" to God's will initiates the redemption of humanity through the birth of Jesus.
These readings are deeply interconnected. The Fall in Genesis sets the stage for the need for redemption, which is fulfilled in Christ as described in Ephesians. Mary's obedience in Luke contrasts with Eve's disobedience, illustrating the reversal of the Fall through faith and trust in God. Together, they reveal the narrative arc from sin to redemption, emphasizing God's enduring love and mercy.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to reflect on our own relationship with sin and redemption. Like Adam and Eve, we all face moments of temptation and failure, but through faith and trust in God's plan, we can find redemption. Mary's example teaches us the power of surrender and obedience, encouraging us to embrace God's will in our lives. As we navigate life's challenges, we are reminded that our faith can transform our struggles into opportunities for growth and closer union with God.
The moral and spiritual reflection here is clear: our journey with God is one of trust and surrender. Just as Mary accepted God's plan with humility and faith, we too can embrace God's will in our lives, knowing that His plan is for our good. In moments of doubt or sin, we turn to Christ, who restores us and offers us new life. Let us strive to live with the faith and obedience of Mary, trusting in God's plan and allowing His grace to transform us.