Daily Readings - Fri Dec 20 2019
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.
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 invite us to reflect on the profound themes of trust and God's providence. In the first reading from Isaiah, we encounter a moment of divine promise amidst crisis. Ahaz, the King of Judah, is offered a sign by God, but he declines, fearing to tempt the Lord. Despite this refusal, God provides a sign anyway: a virgin shall conceive and bear a son named Immanuel, meaning "God is with us." This prophecy, spoken in a time of uncertainty, offers hope and assurance of God's enduring presence.
In the Gospel, we witness the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy through the Annunciation. The Angel Gabriel visits Mary, greeting her as one favored by God. Mary, though perplexed, accepts the divine plan with humility and faith, responding, "Let it be done to me according to your word." Her yes to God's will marks the beginning of a new era, as Jesus, the Son of the Most High, is born to reign forever.
These readings call us to trust in God's plan, even when circumstances seem uncertain. Like Mary, we are invited to surrender to God's will, trusting in His providence. In our daily lives, this faith enables us to face challenges with courage and hope, knowing that God is always with us. The moral lesson here is the power of faith and surrender, reminding us to embrace God's plan with openness and trust, just as Mary did.