Daily Readings - Fri Jan 01 2021
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on God's blessings, our adoption as His children, and the response of faith. In Numbers, we hear of the priestly blessing, a sacred ritual where God's chosen priests invoke divine favor upon the Israelites, seeking protection, mercy, and peace. This blessing underscores God's covenantal love and the role of priests as intermediaries of His grace.
In Galatians, Paul reveals the fulfillment of this divine plan through Jesus Christ. Sent in the fullness of time, Jesus redeems us from the law, enabling us to become sons and daughters of God. Through Him, we receive the Spirit, who endows us with a deep, personal relationship with God, crying out "Abba, Father." This adoption makes us heirs of God's promises, transforming our identity and purpose.
The Gospel of Luke illustrates this divine plan in action. The shepherds, upon encountering the newborn Jesus, glorify God, embodying the immediate and joyful response to His presence. Mary, in her contemplative heart, ponders the significance of the event, modeling a life of faith and reflection. As we celebrate Jesus' birth and circumcision, we are reminded to trust in God's plan and live as His beloved children, heirs to His eternal inheritance. Let us, like Mary and the shepherds, embrace the gift of faith, trusting in God's providence and living with hearts open to His grace.