Daily Readings - Mon Jan 01 2018
Numbers
22The LORD said to Moses,23"Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:24"'"The LORD bless you and keep you;25the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;26the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."'27"So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them."
Galatians
4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law,5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Luke
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.21On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter three distinct yet interconnected narratives that illuminate God's enduring love and grace. The first reading from Numbers presents the Aaronic blessing, a sacred prayer where God instructs Moses to have Aaron invoke divine favor upon the Israelites. This blessing, still cherished today, reflects God's desire to bestow peace and protection upon His people.
The second reading from Galatians shifts our focus to the epochal moment of Jesus' incarnation. Paul elucidates how God's Son, born under the law, redeems humanity, transforming our status from servants to sons and daughters. This adoption grants us the Spirit, enabling us to address God as "Abba, Father," signifying an intimate and heir-like relationship with the Divine.
The Gospel narrative in Luke vividly portrays the shepherds' visit to the newborn Jesus, Mary's contemplative heart, and the naming of Jesus during His circumcision. This scene underscores the tangible arrival of God's grace in human history, inviting us to reflect on the significance of Jesus' birth and our response to it.
These readings weave together the themes of divine blessing, adoption, and incarnation. The Aaronic blessing prefigures the ultimate blessing in Christ, while Paul's epistle reveals our new identity as God's children. Luke's account grounds these theological truths in the incarnate Jesus, who embodies God's love and grace.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to embrace our identity as beloved children of God, to live with the assurance of divine favor, and to reflect on the profound implications of Jesus' birth. As we navigate life's challenges, may we, like Mary, ponder the Word in our hearts and, like the shepherds, glorify God for the wonders He has wrought. Let us cherish the grace that makes us heirs of God's promise, living with the joy and humility that comes from knowing we are deeply loved.