Daily Readings - Tue Jan 01 2019
Numbers
22And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,23Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,24The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:25The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:26The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.27And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
Galatians
4But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,5To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.6And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Luke
16And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.21And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound expressions of God’s blessings and the fulfillment of His promises. The first reading from Numbers presents the priestly blessing, a sacred invocation of God’s favor upon His people, emphasizing protection, mercy, and peace. This blessing, passed down through generations, serves as a reminder of God’s enduring presence and care. The second reading from Galatians reveals the culmination of God’s plan in the person of Jesus Christ, who was born under the law to redeem humanity. Through Jesus, we are adopted as sons and daughters of God, receiving the Spirit that cries out to our heavenly Father. The Gospel from Luke vividly portrays the shepherds’ encounter with the newborn Jesus, highlighting their faith and the wonder of Mary, who treasured the divine events in her heart.
These readings are intricately connected, each shedding light on the mystery of God’s love. The priestly blessing in Numbers finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, who is the source of all blessings. Galatians explains the theological depth of this fulfillment, showing how Jesus’ arrival transforms our status from servants to sons, granting us inheritance in God’s kingdom. Luke’s narrative illustrates the human response to this divine grace—the shepherds’ haste to worship and Mary’s contemplative heart. Together, these texts reveal the unity of God’s plan, where ancient blessings and promises converge in the birth of Jesus.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to recognize and embrace the blessings of God, just as the shepherds recognized the significance of Jesus’ birth. Like Mary, we are called to ponder the wonders of God’s work in our lives and in the world. The moral lesson here is one of gratitude and trust. Just as the priestly blessing was a reminder of God’s faithfulness, and just as the shepherds responded with joy and praise, we too should acknowledge God’s presence and provision. Let us, like Mary, treasure the Word of God in our hearts, allowing it to shape our thoughts, actions, and relationships. In doing so, we become living expressions of the blessings we have received, reflecting God’s love to a world in need.