Daily Readings - Mon Jan 01 2024
Numbers
22The LORD said to Moses,23"Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:24"'"The LORD bless you and keep you;25the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;26the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace."'27"So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them."
Galatians
4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law,5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Luke
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.17When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.19But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.21On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we journey through the revelation of God’s love and our response to it. The first reading from Numbers presents the Aaronic blessing, a priestly invocation of God’s protection, revelation, and peace upon the Israelites. This blessing, rooted in the Levitical priesthood, highlights God’s desire to be close to His people. The second reading from Galatians deepens this by explaining Jesus’ mission: born under the law to redeem us, making us sons and daughters of God through adoption. This intimate relationship is sealed by the Spirit, who calls out “Abba, Father” from our hearts. The Gospel from Luke illustrates this revelation in the visit of the shepherds to the newborn Jesus, with Mary pondering God’s word and the shepherds glorifying God.
These readings weave together the tapestry of God’s revelation. The Aaronic blessing prefigures the ultimate blessing in Jesus, who brings us into God’s family. Through Him, we are no longer servants but sons and heirs. The shepherds’ response of faith and praise exemplifies how we should receive God’s revelation with gratitude and joy.
In our daily lives, let us embrace our identity as beloved children of God. May we, like Mary, ponder God’s words in our hearts and, like the shepherds, glorify Him for the gifts we receive. Let us live with the peace and joy that come from knowing we are adopted into God’s family, reflecting His love in all we do.