Daily Readings - Wed Dec 20 2017
First Reading - Isaiah 7.10-14; 8.10d
Isaiah
10Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying,11Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.12But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.13And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?14Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
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
The readings today take us to the heart of God’s plan of salvation, weaving together prophecy and fulfillment, faith and trust. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear the prophet offering King Ahaz a sign from God—a promise that a virgin will bear a son named Immanuel, “God with us.” This passage, spoken in a time of crisis and uncertainty for the people of Judah, is a testament to God’s enduring presence and fidelity. It is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, God does not abandon His people but instead offers them hope and assurance.
In the Gospel, we fast-forward to the moment when this prophecy is fulfilled. The Angel Gabriel appears to Mary, a young virgin from Nazareth, announcing that she will bear a son, Jesus, who will be the Son of the Most High and reign forever. Mary’s response—“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word”—is a model of faith and surrender. Her “yes” to God’s plan is not born of understanding or control but of trust in His goodness and providence. This moment is the hinge of history, where the promises of the Old Testament meet the reality of the Incarnation.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God. Like Mary, we are called to trust in God’s plan, even when it seems impossible or beyond our comprehension. In a world often marked by doubt and fear, we are reminded that God is with us, just as He was with Mary and the people of Judah. The moral lesson here is clear: faith is not about having all the answers but about surrendering to God’s will with humility and courage. As we prepare for the coming of Christ this Advent season, let us imitate Mary’s openness and trust, allowing God to work in our lives in ways we cannot yet see or understand.