Daily Readings for December 23, 2015

1ST READING

The Lord sent His messengers to every generation. If there are no messengers, then it is a sign that that generation is blind and deaf to the call of the Gospel. There are many options available to the people today and this is why they do not hear and follow God’s call in their lives. If we reflect on our lives and cannot see a God in the middle of it, then we are either hard-headed or completely blind. Paul reminds us that God’s truth is available to all, only if they form and listen to their consciences properly.

Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24

1 Thus says the Lord God: Lo, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me; and suddenly there will come to the temple the Lord whom you seek, and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Yes, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who will endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire, or like the fuller’s lye. 3 He will sit refining and purifying silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, Refining them like gold or like silver that they may offer due sacrifice to the Lord. 4 Then the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will please the Lord, as in days of old, as in years gone by. 23 Lo, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day, 24 to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with doom.

P S A L M

Psalm 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14

R: Lift up your heads and see; your redemption is near at hand.

4 Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths, 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. (R) 8 Good and upright is the Lord; thus he shows sinners the way. 9 He guides the humble to justice, he teaches the humble his way. (R) 10 All the paths of the Lord are kindness and constancy toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees. 14 The friendship of the Lord is with those who fear him, and his covenant, for their instruction. (R)

GOSPEL

Zechariah learned his lesson. Nine months of being mute taught him not to doubt God but to place his trust in His Word. Let us also learn from him. There is no point in committing mistakes when we know them from the beginning. That is willful stupidity. We do not need to test God. We should listen to His Word and obey it.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!

Luke 1:57-66

57 When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” 61 But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” 62 So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. 63 He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. 65 Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.

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