Daily Readings - Thu Dec 23 2021
Malachi
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.
Luke
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.