Daily Readings - Sun Dec 24 2017

First Reading - 2 Samuel 7.1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16

¹Now it happened that, when the king had settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies²he said to the prophet Nathan, "Do you not see that I live in a house of cedar, and that the ark of God has been placed in the midst of tent skins?³And Nathan said to the king: "Go, do all that is in your heart. For the Lord is with you.⁴But it happened in that night, behold, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying⁵"Go, and say to my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord: Should you build a house for me as a dwelling place⁸And now, so shall you speak to my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pastures, from following the sheep, so that you would be the leader over my people Israel⁹And I have been with you everywhere that you walked. And I have slain all your enemies before your face. And I have made you a great name, beside the name of the great ones who are upon the earth¹⁰And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them, and they shall live there, and they shall no longer be disturbed. Neither shall the sons of iniquity continue to afflict them as before¹¹from the day when I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give rest to you from all your enemies. And the Lord foretells to you that the Lord himself will make a house for you¹²And when your days will have been fulfilled, and you will sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will go forth from your loins, and I will make firm his kingdom¹⁴I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. And if he will commit any iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and with the wounds of the sons of men¹⁶And your house shall be faithful, and your kingdom shall be before your face, for eternity, and your throne shall be secure continuously.’

Second Reading - Romans 16.25-27

Romans

Chapter 16

²⁵But to him who is able to confirm you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, in accord with the revelation of the mystery which has been hidden from time immemorial²⁶(which now has been made clear through the Scriptures of the Prophets, in accord with the precept of the eternal God, unto the obedience of faith) which has been made known among all the Gentiles²⁷to God, who alone is wise, through Jesus Christ, to him be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen

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

In today's readings, we journey through a narrative of promise, fulfillment, and universal revelation. The first reading from 2 Samuel 7 recounts God's covenant with David, where God promises to establish his dynasty, a house that will endure forever. This promise, however, is not about David building a physical structure for God, but about God building a spiritual legacy through David's descendants. The second reading from Romans 16:25-27 illuminates the universal scope of God's plan, revealing a mystery hidden for ages but now made known through the Gospel, emphasizing God's wisdom and the obedience of faith. The Gospel from Luke 1:26-38 presents the Annunciation, where Mary, with faith and obedience, accepts God's plan to bear Jesus, the Son of God, fulfilling the promise made to David. These readings are deeply interconnected, illustrating the progression of God's plan from a specific covenant with David to the universal revelation of Jesus Christ. The promise to David finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, who as a descendant of David, establishes a kingdom that will have no end. Mary's response exemplifies the faith and trust required to participate in God's plan, mirroring the obedience of faith spoken of in Romans. In our daily lives, these readings invite us to reflect on our trust in God's plan. Like Mary, we are called to embrace God's will with faith, even when it seems uncertain. The readings remind us that our lives are part of a larger narrative, a universal plan of salvation that transcends time and space. As we navigate our own challenges, let us draw strength from Mary's example, trusting in God's providence and remaining open to His will. In doing so, we participate in the ongoing story of God's kingdom, a story that continues to unfold in our lives today.