Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 20, 2020
First Reading: 2 Samuel 7.1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
1And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;2That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.3And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.4And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,5Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?8Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:9And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.10Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,11And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.12And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.14I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:16And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
Psalm 89
1I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.2For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.3I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,4Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.5And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.6For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?7God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.8O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?9Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.10Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.11The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.12The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.13Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.14Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.15Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.16In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.17For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.18For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.19Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.20I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:21With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.22The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.23And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.24But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.25I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.26He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.27Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.28My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.29His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.30If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;31If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;32Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.33Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.34My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.35Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.36His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.37It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.38But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.39Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.40Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.41All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.42Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.43Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.44Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.45The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.46How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?47Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?48What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.49Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?50Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;51Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.52Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.
Second Reading: Romans 16.25-27
25Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,26But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:27To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
Gospel: Luke 1.26-38
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 the unfolding of God's promise and its fulfillment. The first reading from 2 Samuel recounts Nathan's prophetic message to David, assuring him of a lasting dynasty and a throne that will endure forever. This promise is not just about David's earthly kingdom but points to a greater, eternal kingdom through his descendant, Jesus Christ. The second reading from Romans highlights the revelation of this mystery through the prophets, emphasizing that the Gospel is for all people, bringing glory to God. The Gospel of Luke presents the Annunciation, where Mary, with humility and faith, accepts God's will, embodying the obedience and trust that fulfills the promises made to David.
These readings intertwine the Old Testament promise with the New Testament fulfillment. David's throne finds its ultimate reality in Jesus, the Son of David and the Son of God. Paul's letter underscores that this mystery, once hidden, is now revealed to all through Jesus Christ. Mary's "Yes" to God's plan exemplifies the faith and trust required to participate in this divine plan.
In our daily lives, we are called to trust in God's plan, just as Mary did. Her response, "Let it be done to me according to your word," invites us to surrender to God's will. Like David, we are to have faith in God's promises, knowing that His plan is always greater than ours. As we reflect on these readings, let us embrace the obedience and trust modeled by David and Mary, allowing God to work through us to fulfill His eternal purposes.