Daily Readings - Thu Dec 12 2024

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 joy and hope that come from God’s presence in our lives. In the first reading from Zechariah, we hear a prophetic vision of God dwelling among His people, bringing peace and unity. The prophet announces that many nations will be joined to the Lord, and Jerusalem will be a place of sanctity and silence before the majesty of God. This passage reminds us that God’s plan is not limited to one people or place but extends to all humanity, inviting us to live in awe of His divine presence. In the Gospel, we witness the beautiful encounter between Mary and Elizabeth, known as the Visitation. Mary, carrying Jesus in her womb, travels to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who is also expecting a child. The moment Mary greets Elizabeth, the infant John the Baptist leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, praises Mary for her faith. Mary’s response, the Magnificat, is a hymn of praise to God, acknowledging His greatness and the transformative power of His mercy. This scene reveals the profound trust and joy that come from surrendering to God’s will. These readings are deeply connected. Zechariah’s prophecy of God dwelling among His people is fulfilled in the Gospel, where Mary, the bearer of God, brings His presence to Elizabeth. Both readings emphasize the importance of trust and openness to God’s plan. In our daily lives, we are called to imitate Mary’s faith and Elizabeth’s hospitality. Like them, we should seek to bring God’s presence to others and rejoice in the ways He works in our lives, even when His plans seem unexpected or challenging. Let us remember that God’s dwelling among us is not just a future hope but a present reality, inviting us to live with gratitude, joy, and trust in His providence.