Daily Readings - Wed Dec 20 2017

First Reading - Isaiah 7.10-14; 8.10d

¹⁰And the Lord spoke further to Ahaz, saying¹¹Ask for a sign for yourself from the Lord your God, from the depths below, even to the heights above¹²And Ahaz said, "I will not ask, for I will not tempt the Lord.¹³And he said: "Then listen, O house of David. Is it such a small thing for you to trouble men, that you must also trouble my God¹⁴For this reason, the Lord himself will grant to you a sign. Behold, a virgin will conceive, and she will give birth to a son, and his name will be called Immanuel

Chapter 8

¹⁰Undertake a plan, and it will be dissipated! Speak a word, and it will not be done! For God is with us

Gospel - Luke 1.26-38

Luke

Chapter 1

²⁶Then, in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent by God, to a city of Galilee named Nazareth²⁷to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary²⁸And upon entering, the Angel said to her: "Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.²⁹And when she had heard this, she was disturbed by his words, and she considered what kind of greeting this might be³⁰And the Angel said to her: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God³¹Behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and you shall bear a son, and you shall call his name: JESUS³²He will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. And he will reign in the house of Jacob for eternity³³And his kingdom shall have no end.³⁴Then Mary said to the Angel, "How shall this be done, since I do not know man?³⁵And in response, the Angel said to her: "The Holy Spirit will pass over you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And because of this also, the Holy One who will be born of you shall be called the Son of God³⁶And behold, your cousin Elizabeth has herself also conceived a son, in her old age. And this is the sixth month for her who is called barren³⁷For no word will be impossible with God.³⁸Then Mary said: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word." And the Angel departed from her

Sermon

The readings today take us to the heart of God’s plan of salvation, weaving together prophecy and fulfillment, faith and trust. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear the prophet offering King Ahaz a sign from God—a promise that a virgin will bear a son named Immanuel, “God with us.” This passage, spoken in a time of crisis and uncertainty for the people of Judah, is a testament to God’s enduring presence and fidelity. It is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, God does not abandon His people but instead offers them hope and assurance. In the Gospel, we fast-forward to the moment when this prophecy is fulfilled. The Angel Gabriel appears to Mary, a young virgin from Nazareth, announcing that she will bear a son, Jesus, who will be the Son of the Most High and reign forever. Mary’s response—“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word”—is a model of faith and surrender. Her “yes” to God’s plan is not born of understanding or control but of trust in His goodness and providence. This moment is the hinge of history, where the promises of the Old Testament meet the reality of the Incarnation. These readings invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God. Like Mary, we are called to trust in God’s plan, even when it seems impossible or beyond our comprehension. In a world often marked by doubt and fear, we are reminded that God is with us, just as He was with Mary and the people of Judah. The moral lesson here is clear: faith is not about having all the answers but about surrendering to God’s will with humility and courage. As we prepare for the coming of Christ this Advent season, let us imitate Mary’s openness and trust, allowing God to work in our lives in ways we cannot yet see or understand.