Daily Readings - Sat Dec 21 2019
First Reading - Zephaniah 3.14-18a or Song of Solomon 2.8-14
Zephaniah
14Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!15The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm.16On that day they will say to Jerusalem, "Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.17The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."18"The sorrows for the appointed feasts I will remove from you; they are a burden and a reproach to you.
Song of Solomon
8Listen! My lover! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills.9My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice.10My lover spoke and said to me, "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me.11See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.12Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.13The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me."14My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
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!"
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages of joy, hope, and God's presence among His people. The first reading from Zephaniah invites us to rejoice, for God has removed judgment and fear, promising to dwell in our midst. This prophetic text, written in a time of repentance, offers a vision of salvation where God's people are filled with gladness and exultation. The second reading from Luke's Gospel presents the Visitation, where Mary's visit to Elizabeth sparks a joyful encounter. The unborn John the Baptist leaps in recognition of Mary's presence, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, praises Mary's faith.
These readings are deeply connected, both emphasizing the theme of God's presence bringing joy. Zephaniah's prophecy of God dwelling among His people is fulfilled in the Gospel, where the Holy Spirit's action in Elizabeth and John illustrates God's active presence. This connection reminds us that our faith is rooted in a God who is ever-present and active in our lives.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to trust in God's presence and to embrace His joy. Just as Mary and Elizabeth trusted God's plan, we can face life's challenges with faith, knowing God is with us. The moral lesson here is the transformative power of faith and joy. By trusting in God's plan and being open to the Holy Spirit, we can experience true joy and peace, even amidst life's trials. Let us allow God's presence to fill us with joy, guiding us to live faithfully and trustingly, just as Mary and Elizabeth did.