Daily Readings - Sat Dec 24 2022
2 Samuel
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.16And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
Luke
67And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,68Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,69And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;70As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:71That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;73The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,74That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,75In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.76And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;77To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,78Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,79To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound moments of divine promise and fulfillment. The first reading from 2 Samuel recounts King David's desire to build a house for God, only to be told that God will instead establish a house for David—a promise of an eternal kingdom through his lineage. This passage highlights God's faithfulness and the significance of the Davidic covenant, which points to the ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The Gospel reading from Luke presents Zechariah's joyful prophecy, known as the Benedictus, where he praises God for the redemption brought through the house of David and the role of John the Baptist in preparing the way for the Messiah. Together, these readings underscore the themes of divine promise, faithfulness, and the preparation for God's saving plan.
Both readings are deeply connected, as they reflect on God's promises and their fulfillment in unexpected ways. In 2 Samuel, David's humility and trust in God's plan are evident, even when the immediate fulfillment isn't what he envisioned. Similarly, in Luke, Zechariah's prophecy looks forward to the fulfillment of God's promises through the coming of Jesus. These passages remind us that God's timing and ways are not our own, and that His plans often unfold in ways we cannot fully anticipate. They invite us to trust in God's faithfulness and to live with hope, knowing that His promises are always at work, even when we cannot see the full picture.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to reflect on our own trust in God's plan. Like David, we may have desires or plans for our lives, but we must remain open to how God might redirect them for His greater purpose. Like Zechariah, we are called to proclaim God's mercy and salvation, even in the face of uncertainty. As we navigate the challenges and joys of life, may we find strength in the knowledge that God is always at work, preparing the way for us and for others. Let us live with faith, hope, and gratitude, trusting that His promises will guide us on the path of peace.