Daily Readings - Sat Dec 18 2021
Jeremiah
5"The days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.6In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.7"So then, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "when people will no longer say, 'As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,'8but they will say, 'As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.' Then they will live in their own land."
Matthew
18This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.19Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.20But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:23"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."24When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound messages of hope and trust in God's plan. The first reading from Jeremiah 23:5-8 speaks of a future king from David's line who will bring justice and security to God's people. This righteous leader will shift the focus from past deliverances, like the Exodus, to a new era where God's people dwell securely in their own land. The Gospel reading from Matthew 1:18-24 presents Joseph, a man of justice and compassion, who trusts God's message through an angel. He accepts Mary as his wife, recognizing the divine plan, and thus Jesus, Emmanuel, is born—God with us.
Jeremiah's prophecy is set during the Babylonian exile, a time of despair, offering hope for a future king who embodies justice and wisdom. Matthew's narrative introduces Joseph, a figure of obedience and trust, highlighting the fulfillment of prophecy in Jesus' birth. The connection between the readings lies in the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy in Jesus, who is the righteous branch bringing salvation and embodying God's presence among us.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to trust in God's plan, even when unexpected, just as Joseph did. They remind us to hope in God's justice and presence. As we navigate life's challenges, let us recognize Emmanuel, God with us, and live with the confidence that comes from His presence. May we, like Joseph, embrace God's will with obedience and trust, finding strength in His enduring plan.