Today's Readings
First Reading
Numbers 6:22–27
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them, The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 67:2–3, 5, 6, 8
May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah that your way may be known upon earth,
your saving power among all nations. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you. May God continue to bless us;
let all the ends of the earth revere him.
Second Reading
Galatians 4:4–7
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.
Gospel
Luke 2:16–21
So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Daily Reflection
By Bishop Robert Barron
Friends, today we celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Mother of God. St. Irenaeus says that, throughout the history of salvation, God was trying on humanity, gradually suiting divinity and humanity to one another—preparing for the incarnation.
All of that preparation was a prelude to the Israelite girl who would say yes to the invitation to be the Mother of God. To say that Mary is the Mother of God is to insist on the density of the claim that God truly became human. As Fulton J. Sheen commented, Mary is like the moon, for her light is always the reflection of a higher light.
Bishop Robert Barron
Founder, Word on Fire
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.