Daily Readings - Tue Aug 15 2023

¹⁹Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

Chapter 12

¹A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.²She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.³Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads.⁴His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born.⁵She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.⁶The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.¹⁰Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.

1 Corinthians

Chapter 15

²⁰But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.²¹For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.²²For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.²³But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.²⁴Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.²⁵For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.²⁶The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Luke

Chapter 1

³⁹At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,⁴⁰where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.⁴²In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!⁴³But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?⁴⁴As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.⁴⁵Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"⁴⁶And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,⁴⁸for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,⁴⁹for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name.⁵⁰His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.⁵¹He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.⁵²He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.⁵³He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful⁵⁵to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."⁵⁶Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Sermon

The readings today present us with powerful imagery and profound truths about God’s plan of salvation. In the first reading from Revelation, we encounter a dramatic vision: a woman clothed with the sun, a dragon seeking to devour her child, and the ultimate triumph of God’s kingdom. This apocalyptic scene symbolizes the cosmic struggle between good and evil, with the woman representing both Mary and the Church. The dragon, or Satan, seeks to destroy God’s plan, but the child, Jesus, is taken up to God’s throne, signaling the ultimate victory of God over evil. The second reading from 1 Corinthians ties this cosmic struggle to the resurrection of Christ. Paul explains that just as death came through Adam, so too has the resurrection of the dead come through Christ. Jesus’ resurrection is the first-fruits of a greater harvest, and through him, all things will be brought under God’s authority. This reading reminds us that our faith is rooted in the hope of eternal life and the final triumph of God over all enemies, including death itself. In the Gospel, we see the humanity of this divine plan unfolding. Mary, carrying Jesus in her womb, visits Elizabeth, who is carrying John the Baptist. Their encounter is filled with joy and recognition of the miraculous work of God. Mary’s Magnificat, a hymn of praise, reflects her deep trust in God’s plan and her humility in accepting her role as the Mother of God. This passage invites us to reflect on our own trust in God’s providence and our willingness to cooperate with his plan, even when it seems challenging or mysterious. These readings remind us that our lives are part of a much larger story—one of struggle and triumph, death and resurrection. Like Mary, we are called to trust in God’s plan, even when the road ahead seems uncertain. May we, like Elizabeth, recognize the presence of God in our midst and, like Mary, magnify the Lord with joy and gratitude. Let us remember that God’s mercy endures forever, and his plan for us is always one of love and salvation.