Daily Readings - Mon Dec 21 2020
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
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the themes of joy, trust, and the presence of God in our lives. The first reading from Zephaniah is a prophetic call to rejoice, urging the people to shout with joy because the Lord has removed judgment and is in their midst. This passage, set in a time of hope after judgment, reminds us that God’s presence brings salvation and comfort. Similarly, the Gospel from Luke recounts the Visitation, where Mary visits Elizabeth, and both women, filled with the Holy Spirit, recognize the divine presence among them. Elizabeth’s praise of Mary and the unborn John the Baptist highlights the power of faith and recognition of God’s work.
These readings are connected by the thread of joy and trust in God’s plan. Zephaniah’s message is one of hope after repentance, while Luke’s narrative shows the early signs of God’s plan for salvation through Jesus. Both emphasize that recognizing God’s presence leads to joy and trust. The leaping of John the Baptist in Elizabeth’s womb and her subsequent praise of Mary illustrate the immediate and profound impact of encountering God’s presence.
In our daily lives, we are called to cultivate this same joy and trust. Like Mary and Elizabeth, we can find joy in recognizing God’s presence, even in uncertain times. Trusting in God’s plan, as they did, allows us to face the future with faith. Let us reflect on how we can remain open to God’s presence and trust in His plan, finding joy in the knowledge that He is always with us. This reflection reminds us that faith and rejoicing in God’s presence are essential to our spiritual journey.