Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 23, 2021
First Reading: Malachi 3.1-4; 4.5-6
1"See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty.2But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap.3He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness,4and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years.
Psalm 25
1To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;2in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.3No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.4Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;5guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.6Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.7Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.8Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.9He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.10All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.11For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.12Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.13He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.14The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.15My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.16Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.17The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.18Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.19See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me!20Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.21May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.22Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!
Gospel: Luke 1.57-66
57When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.59On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,60but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."61They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."62Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.63He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.65The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.66Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful themes of preparation and purification, central to our faith journey. The first reading from Malachi prophesies the coming of the Lord who will refine and purify His people, much like a refining fire. This prophecy is fulfilled in the Gospel through the birth of John the Baptist, who prepares the way for Jesus. Both readings emphasize the importance of readiness and purification, urging us to turn our hearts back to God.
The context of Malachi’s prophecy is one of calling the Israelites to return to their faith, using imagery common in prophetic literature to stress the necessity of spiritual cleansing. In Luke’s Gospel, the miraculous birth of John the Baptist highlights his role as the forerunner of Jesus, preparing the people to receive the Messiah. The naming of John, despite initial silence, underscores obedience to God’s will and the fulfillment of divine plans.
Applying these readings to our daily lives, we are reminded to prepare our hearts for the Lord’s presence. This involves repentance and living justly, trusting in God’s plan even when it seems unconventional. The example of Zechariah and Elizabeth teaches us to trust God, even in unexpected circumstances. The moral lesson is clear: we must ready ourselves for the Lord’s coming through purification and trust, focusing on our spiritual growth and relationship with God.