Daily Readings - Tue Dec 12 2023

First Reading - Zechariah 2.10-13 or Revelation 11.19a; 12.1, 3-6a, 10ab

¹⁰"Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the LORD.¹¹"Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.¹²The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.¹³Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling."

Revelation

Chapter 11

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.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.

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,

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the presence of God in our lives and the joy that comes from trusting in His plan. In the first reading from Zechariah, we hear a prophetic vision of God dwelling among His people and drawing all nations into a sacred union with Him. This passage, written to a people returning from exile, offers hope and renewal, reminding us that God’s presence is not distant but intimate and transformative. In the Gospel, we witness the beautiful encounter between Mary and Elizabeth, two women who embody faith and joy in the face of God’s mysterious plan. Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, recognizes the blessedness of Mary and the fruit of her womb, while Mary responds with a hymn of praise, magnifying the Lord in her spirit. These readings are deeply connected, as both point to the reality of God’s presence breaking into human history. Zechariah’s prophecy finds its fulfillment in the Gospel, where Mary, carrying the incarnate God, visits Elizabeth. The leaping of John the Baptist in Elizabeth’s womb and Elizabeth’s Spirit-filled exclamation are signs that the promised Messiah is near. Mary’s Magnificat, a song of praise, reflects her deep trust in God’s plan and her recognition of the profound humility and grace that have been bestowed upon her. Together, these readings remind us that faith is not passive but active—it involves trusting in God’s promises and rejoicing in His presence, even when the circumstances seem uncertain. As we apply these readings to our daily lives, we are called to cultivate the same kind of faith and joy that Mary and Elizabeth exemplify. Like Mary, we are invited to say “yes” to God’s plan, even when it seems impossible or overwhelming. Like Elizabeth, we are called to recognize the presence of God in those around us and to rejoice in the ways He is working in their lives. In a world often marked by doubt and fear, these readings challenge us to trust in God’s nearness and to live with hearts full of praise and gratitude. Let us, like Mary, magnify the Lord and allow our spirits to leap for joy in the knowledge of His love and salvation.