Daily Readings - Sat Aug 15 2020
Revelation
19And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
1And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:2And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.3And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.4And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.5And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.6And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
1 Corinthians
20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.24Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.25For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.26The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Luke
39And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;40And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.41And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:42And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.43And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?44For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.45And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.46And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.51He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.52He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.54He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;55As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.56And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the triumph of God’s plan and the call to faith and hope in the face of adversity. The first reading from Revelation presents a dramatic vision of a woman clothed with the sun and a great red dragon, symbols of the cosmic struggle between good and evil. The woman represents the Church, and the dragon signifies Satan, who seeks to destroy God’s plan. Yet, the reading ends with a declaration of victory: the accuser has been cast down, and the kingdom of God is at hand. This vision reminds us that, despite the trials we face, God’s ultimate triumph is assured.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians ties this cosmic victory to the resurrection of Christ. Paul explains that just as death came through Adam, so too has the resurrection of the dead come through Christ. He emphasizes that Christ must reign until all enemies, including death, are subjected to him. This passage underscores the centrality of Christ’s resurrection in our faith and the hope it gives us. Death is not the final word; eternal life in Christ is our ultimate destiny.
In the Gospel, Luke’s account of the Visitation brings us back to the humanity of God’s plan. Mary, carrying Jesus in her womb, visits Elizabeth, who is filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth’s joyful recognition of Mary as the mother of the Lord, and Mary’s Magnificat, a hymn of praise and trust in God, reveal the profound faith of these two women. Mary’s words, “My soul magnifies the Lord,” express her complete surrender to God’s will and her recognition of the greatness of what he has done. This passage invites us to reflect on our own faith and trust in God’s plan, even when the road ahead seems uncertain.
Today’s readings call us to live with hope and trust in God’s plan, just as Mary and Elizabeth did. In the face of challenges, we are reminded that Christ’s resurrection has already secured our victory, and we are called to magnify the Lord in our own lives. Let us, like Mary, allow God to work through us, trusting that his mercy and power will bring about a world where the humble are exalted and the hungry are filled.