Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 19, 2024
First Reading: Judges 13.2-7, 24-25a
2A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was sterile and remained childless.3The angel of the LORD appeared to her and said, "You are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son.4Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean,5because you will conceive and give birth to a son. No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines."6Then the woman went to her husband and told him, "A man of God came to me. He looked like an angel of God, very awesome. I didn't ask him where he came from, and he didn't tell me his name.7But he said to me, 'You will conceive and give birth to a son. Now then, drink no wine or other fermented drink and do not eat anything unclean, because the boy will be a Nazirite of God from birth until the day of his death.'"24The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the LORD blessed him,25and the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Psalm 71
1In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.2Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness; turn your ear to me and save me.3Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.4Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men.5For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth.6From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise you.7I have become like a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge.8My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.9Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.10For my enemies speak against me; those who wait to kill me conspire together.11They say, "God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for no one will rescue him."12Be not far from me, O God; come quickly, O my God, to help me.13May my accusers perish in shame; may those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace.14But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.15My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.16I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.17Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.18Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.19Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you?20Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.21You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.22I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.23My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you- I, whom you have redeemed.24My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.
Gospel: Luke 1.5-25
5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.6Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly.7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.8Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.10And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.13But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.16Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."18Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."19The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.23When his time of service was completed, he returned home.24After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.25"The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two remarkable stories of divine annunciation and miraculous birth, each highlighting God’s power to transcend human limitations and fulfill His promises in unexpected ways. In the first reading from Judges, an angel appears to the barren wife of Manoah, announcing the birth of Samson, who will be a Nazirite dedicated to God from the womb. Similarly, in the Gospel, the angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah, revealing that his elderly and barren wife, Elizabeth, will bear a son, John the Baptist, who will be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth. Both stories share a common theme: God’s ability to bring life and purpose out of seeming impossibility, and the call to trust in His divine plan.
These stories are deeply rooted in the cultural and religious contexts of their time. In ancient Israel, barrenness was often seen as a sign of God’s disfavor, and childlessness carried a stigma. Yet, in both cases, God chooses these families to fulfill extraordinary purposes. Samson, though flawed, would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines, while John the Baptist would prepare the way for the Messiah. These narratives remind us that God’s ways are not our ways, and His timing is not our timing. He often works through the unexpected and the unlikely to achieve His will.
The connection between the two readings lies in their emphasis on faith and surrender. Both Manoah’s wife and Zechariah are called to trust in God’s word, even when it seems impossible. For Zechariah, this requires humility and acceptance of the angel’s message, while for Manoah’s wife, it demands obedience to the divine instructions about her son’s upbringing. These stories invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God. Do we trust Him when the path ahead seems unclear? Are we willing to surrender our plans and desires to His will?
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to embrace the mystery of God’s providence. Like the families in today’s readings, we may face challenges or feel limited by our circumstances. Yet, God is always at work, even when we cannot see it. The moral lesson here is one of faith and perseverance. Just as these families trusted in God’s promises, we too can place our trust in Him, knowing that He will bring fruitfulness and purpose to our lives in His own time.
As we reflect on these stories, let us ask for the grace to surrender our doubts and fears to God. May we, like Manoah’s wife and Elizabeth, rejoice in the ways He surprises us with His love and mercy. And may we, like John the Baptist, be filled with the Holy Spirit, so that we may live as witnesses to God’s transformative power in the world.