Daily Readings - Sat Dec 23 2017

First Reading - Malachi 3.1-4; 4.5-6

¹Behold, I send my angel, and he will prepare the way before my face. And presently the Sovereign, whom you seek, and the angel of testimony, whom you desire, will arrive at his temple. Behold, he approaches, says the Lord of hosts²And who will be able to consider the day of his advent, and who will stand firm in order to see him? For he is like a refining fire, and like the fuller’s herb³And he will sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he will purge the sons of Levi, and he will gather them like gold and like silver, and they will offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice⁴And the sacrifice of Judah and of Jerusalem will please the Lord, just as in the days of past generations, and as in the ancient years

Chapter 4

⁵Behold, I will send to you Elijah the prophet, before the arrival of the great and terrible day of the Lord⁶And he will turn the heart of the fathers to the sons, and the heart of the sons to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with anathema

Gospel - Luke 1.57-66

Luke

Chapter 1

⁵⁷Now the time for Elizabeth to give birth arrived, and she brought forth a son⁵⁸And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and so they congratulated her⁵⁹And it happened that, on the eighth day, they arrived to circumcise the boy, and they called him by his father’s name, Zechariah⁶⁰And in response, his mother said: "Not so. Instead, he shall be called John.⁶¹And they said to her, "But there is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.⁶²Then they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him to be called⁶³And requesting a writing tablet, he wrote, saying: "His name is John." And they all wondered⁶⁴Then, at once, his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosened, and he spoke, blessing God⁶⁵And fear fell upon all of their neighbors. And all these words were made known throughout all the hill country of Judea⁶⁶And all those who heard it stored it up in their heart, saying: "What do you think this boy will be?" And indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on purification, obedience, and the transformative power of God's will in our lives. In Malachi, we hear of a messenger who will refine and purify the people, preparing them for the Lord's arrival. This messenger, Elijah, is to restore harmony between generations, emphasizing the importance of right relationships and a humble heart. The Gospel then presents John the Baptist, whose birth signifies a new beginning. His naming, despite family traditions, highlights Zechariah and Elizabeth's obedience to God's plan, illustrating how surrendering to divine will can lead to profound spiritual renewal. These readings connect through themes of preparation and transformation. Malachi sets the stage for a purifying messenger, while Luke shows John as the fulfillment of this prophecy, preparing the way for Jesus. Both emphasize the need for openness to God's plan and the importance of right relationships, whether within families or communities. In our daily lives, these teachings encourage us to embrace purification and obedience. Just as John prepared the way for Jesus, we are called to clear our hearts and minds to receive God's grace. By fostering harmonious relationships and remaining open to God's will, we participate in His transformative work. Let us seek to be refined by God, allowing His light to shine through us, guiding others as John did, and trusting in His plan for our lives.