Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 25, 2023
First Reading: Isaiah 7.10-14; 8.10d
10Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz,11"Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights."12But Ahaz said, "I will not ask; I will not put the LORD to the test."13Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also?14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Psalm 40
1I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.2He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.3He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.4Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.5Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.6Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced,; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.7Then I said, "Here I am, I have come- it is written about me in the scroll.8I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."9I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD.10I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.11Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me.12For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.13Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me.14May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.15May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!" be appalled at their own shame.16But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, "The LORD be exalted!"17Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.
Second Reading: Hebrews 10.4-10
4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;6with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.7Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll--I have come to do your will, O God.'"8First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made).9Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second.10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Gospel: Luke 1.26-38
26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.28The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."34"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.37For nothing is impossible with God."38"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound moments of faith, obedience, and the unfolding of God’s plan for humanity. The first reading from Isaiah presents us with a pivotal moment in the history of God’s people. King Ahaz, faced with the threat of invasion, is offered a sign by God to strengthen his faith. Though Ahaz hesitates, the prophet Isaiah announces one of the most famous prophecies in Scripture: a virgin will conceive and bear a son named Immanuel, “God with us.” This sign is not just for Ahaz but for all people, pointing to the deeper truth that God is always present and active in our lives, even in times of uncertainty.
The second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews shifts our focus to the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan. It explains that the sacrifices of the Old Covenant, though meaningful, could never fully take away sins. Christ, by contrast, enters the world to do God’s will perfectly, offering his own body as the perfect sacrifice. This passage emphasizes that true worship is not about external rituals but about surrendering our will to God’s will. Christ’s obedience makes us holy, and through his sacrifice, we are united to God in a way that transcends the limitations of the old order.
The Gospel reading brings us to the Annunciation, where Mary, a young virgin, is greeted by the Angel Gabriel. Though she is perplexed and even afraid, Mary responds with extraordinary faith and humility: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.” Mary’s yes to God’s plan is the model of Christian discipleship. Like Mary, we are called to trust in God’s providence, even when the circumstances seem impossible or unclear. Her faith is not about understanding every detail but about surrendering to God’s will with openness and courage.
These readings are deeply interconnected. Isaiah’s prophecy of Immanuel finds its fulfillment in the Gospel, where Mary’s son Jesus is revealed as the true Emmanuel, “God with us.” The Letter to the Hebrews bridges the two, showing how Christ’s obedience and sacrifice fulfill the hopes of the Old Testament and make us holy. Together, they remind us that faith is not about having all the answers but about trusting in God’s plan, even when the road ahead is uncertain.
In our daily lives, we are often faced with challenges that test our faith. Like Ahaz, we may hesitate to trust in God’s providence. Like Mary, we are called to say yes to God’s will, even when it seems daunting. And like Christ, we are invited to surrender our own desires and ambitions to the Father’s plan. These readings remind us that God is always with us, and his plan is always greater than our own. Let us, then, approach life with the same humility and faith as Mary, trusting that no word of God is impossible.