Daily Readings - Thu Dec 21 2023

First Reading - Zephaniah 3.14-18a or Song of Solomon 2.8-14

Zephaniah

14Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem!15The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm.16On that day they will say to Jerusalem, "Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.17The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."18"The sorrows for the appointed feasts I will remove from you; they are a burden and a reproach to you.

Song of Solomon

8Listen! My lover! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills.9My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice.10My lover spoke and said to me, "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me.11See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.12Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.13The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me."14My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.

Luke

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!"

Sermon

The first reading from Zephaniah invites us to rejoice and exult with all our hearts, for the Lord has taken away judgment and turned aside our foes. This prophet speaks to a people who have endured hardship and judgment, but now they are called to trust in God’s presence and salvation. The Lord is in their midst, and they need no longer fear evil. Zephaniah’s words are a call to hope and joy, reminding us that even in the darkest times, God’s love and strength are with us. The reading concludes with a promise of gathering and restoration, emphasizing that God’s people will no longer suffer disgrace. The Gospel from Luke presents a beautiful scene of encounter and joy. Mary, having received the news of her pregnancy with Jesus, travels to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who is also pregnant with John the Baptist. Upon Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, and her unborn child leaps for joy. Elizabeth’s words of praise and recognition of Mary as the mother of the Lord highlight the profound moment of grace and faith. Mary’s visitation is not just a family visit but a spiritual encounter that reveals the miracle of life and the presence of God. Elizabeth’s exclamation, “Blessed are you who believed,” underscores the importance of faith and trust in God’s promises. These readings are deeply connected by the theme of joy and trust in God’s presence. Zephaniah calls us to rejoice because the Lord is in our midst, while Luke’s account shows us how faith and trust in God’s plan can lead to moments of profound joy and encounter. In our daily lives, we are invited to trust in God’s promises, even when the path is uncertain. Like Mary, we are called to say “yes” to God’s will, knowing that He is always with us. Let us cultivate the kind of faith that allows us to rejoice in the midst of challenges, knowing that God’s love and strength are our constant companions. May we, like Elizabeth, recognize the presence of God in those around us and respond with hearts full of joy and gratitude.