Daily Readings - Thu Dec 19 2024
Judges
2And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.3And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.4Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing:5For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.6Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told he me his name:7But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.24And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.25And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Luke
5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.7And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.8And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,9According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.10And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.11And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.14And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.18And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.19And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.20And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.22And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.23And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.24And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,25Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two remarkable stories of divine annunciation and miraculous birth, each highlighting God’s power to transcend human limitations and fulfill His promises in unexpected ways. In the first reading from Judges, an angel appears to the barren wife of Manoah, announcing the birth of Samson, who will be a Nazirite dedicated to God from the womb. Similarly, in the Gospel, the angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah, revealing that his elderly and barren wife, Elizabeth, will bear a son, John the Baptist, who will be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth. Both stories share a common theme: God’s ability to bring life and purpose out of seeming impossibility, and the call to trust in His divine plan.
These stories are deeply rooted in the cultural and religious contexts of their time. In ancient Israel, barrenness was often seen as a sign of God’s disfavor, and childlessness carried a stigma. Yet, in both cases, God chooses these families to fulfill extraordinary purposes. Samson, though flawed, would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines, while John the Baptist would prepare the way for the Messiah. These narratives remind us that God’s ways are not our ways, and His timing is not our timing. He often works through the unexpected and the unlikely to achieve His will.
The connection between the two readings lies in their emphasis on faith and surrender. Both Manoah’s wife and Zechariah are called to trust in God’s word, even when it seems impossible. For Zechariah, this requires humility and acceptance of the angel’s message, while for Manoah’s wife, it demands obedience to the divine instructions about her son’s upbringing. These stories invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God. Do we trust Him when the path ahead seems unclear? Are we willing to surrender our plans and desires to His will?
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to embrace the mystery of God’s providence. Like the families in today’s readings, we may face challenges or feel limited by our circumstances. Yet, God is always at work, even when we cannot see it. The moral lesson here is one of faith and perseverance. Just as these families trusted in God’s promises, we too can place our trust in Him, knowing that He will bring fruitfulness and purpose to our lives in His own time.
As we reflect on these stories, let us ask for the grace to surrender our doubts and fears to God. May we, like Manoah’s wife and Elizabeth, rejoice in the ways He surprises us with His love and mercy. And may we, like John the Baptist, be filled with the Holy Spirit, so that we may live as witnesses to God’s transformative power in the world.