Daily Readings - Wed Dec 12 2018
First Reading - Zechariah 2.10-13 or Revelation 11.19a; 12.1, 3-6a, 10ab
Zechariah
10"Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the LORD.11"Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.12The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.13Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling."
Revelation
19Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.
1A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.3Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads.4His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born.5She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.6The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
Luke
39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,40where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.42In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.45Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"46And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the presence of God in our lives and the joy that comes from trusting in His plan. In the first reading from Zechariah, we hear a prophetic message of hope and joy. The prophet announces that God will dwell in the midst of His people, and many nations will join Israel in worshiping the Lord. This passage was written during a time of great uncertainty for the people of Israel, who were struggling to rebuild their lives after exile. Zechariah’s words remind them—and us—that God’s presence is not limited to a particular place or time but is universal and eternal. The Lord will come to dwell among His people, and all flesh will stand in awe of His majesty.
In the Gospel, we find a beautiful scene from Luke’s infancy narrative. Mary, having just received the news of her pregnancy through the Angel Gabriel, travels to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who is also with child. When Mary greets Elizabeth, the unborn John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, praises Mary for her faith. Mary, in turn, breaks into a song of praise, magnifying the Lord and rejoicing in God her Savior. This passage highlights the profound connection between these two women and the miraculous work of God in their lives. It also underscores the importance of trust and faith in God’s plan, as both Elizabeth and Mary embrace their roles in the divine plan with humility and joy.
These readings are deeply connected, as they both point to the presence and action of God in the world. In Zechariah, we see God’s promise to dwell among His people, and in Luke, we see the fulfillment of that promise in the coming of Jesus. Both readings also emphasize the role of the Holy Spirit, who fills Elizabeth and inspires her to recognize the blessedness of Mary and the fruit of her womb. As we reflect on these passages, let us ask ourselves: Do we trust in God’s plan for our lives? Are we open to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our hearts? And do we rejoice in the presence of God, who dwells among us and within us? May we, like Mary and Elizabeth, embrace God’s will with faith and joy, and may our lives be a testament to His love and presence in the world.