＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Genesis 15:1-6; 21:1-3 (or Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14)

After this the word of Yahweh

Was spoken to Abram in a vision:  “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward will be very great!” Abram said, “My Lord Yahweh, where are your promises? I am still childless and all I have will go to Eliezer of Damascus. You have given me no children, so a slave of mine will be my heir.”

 Then the word of Yahweh was spoken to him again, “Eliezer will not be your heir, but a child born of you (your own flesh and blood) will be your heir.” Then Yahweh brought him outside and said to him, “Look up at the sky and count the stars if you can. Your descendants will be like that.”

Abram believed Yahweh who, because of this, held him to be an upright man. Yahweh was kind to Sarah as he had said, and fulfilled his promise to her. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time Yahweh had promised. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son that Sarah bore him

 

Ps 105:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9(7a, 8a)

The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19 (or Colossians 3:12-21)

 It was by faith that Abraham, called by God, set out for a country that would be given to him as an inheritance; for he parted without knowing where he was going. By faith Sarah herself received power to become a mother, in spite of her advanced age; since she believed that he who had made the promise would be faithful. 

Therefore, from an almost impotent man were born descendants as numerous as the stars of heavens, as many as the grains of sand on the seashore.  By faith Abraham went to offer Isaac when God tested him.

And so he who had received the promise of God offered his only son although God had told him: Isaac’s descendants will bear your name. Abraham reasoned that God is capable even of raising the dead, and he received back his son, which has a figurative meaning.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Luke 2:22-40

When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, they brought the baby up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice as ordered in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

 There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. 

So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law. Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed God, saying,  “Now, O Lord, you can dismiss your servant in peace, for you have fulfilled your word and my eyes have seen your salvation,  which you display for all the people to see.

 Here is the light you will reveal to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”  His father and mother wondered at what was said about the child. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “See him; he will be for the rise or fall of the multitudes of Israel.

He shall stand as a sign of con­tra­diction, while a sword will pierce your own soul. Then the secret thoughts of many may be brought to light.” There was also a prophetess named Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.

After leaving her father’s home, she had been seven years with her husband, and since then she had been continually about the Temple, serving God as a widow night and day in fasting and prayer. She was now eighty-four. Co­ming up at that time, she gave praise to God and spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

 When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew in stature and strength and was filled with wisdom: the grace of God was upon him.

 

Gospel Reflection：

Read:

The family is an institution designed by God from the very beginning. In the Old Testament couples considered having children as a blessing from God. Thus Abraham felt frustrated that he was childess.

But God intervened and promised a progeny to Abrham. St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians contains a catalogue of family Virtues. In the Gospel Mary and Joseph go to the temple to consecrate Jesus. Simeon and Anna bless Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, the Holy Family!

Reflect:

Jesus grew up in a family. The family is a temple of God. It is in the temple of the family that children learn Christian values. Parents have a solemn obligation to raise their children in the faith for every child they have is not only theirs but also God’s!

For parents “procreate,” that is, they allow the Creator to bring new life through their cooperation.

Pray:

Today is “family day.”Parents give thanks to God for making you His partners in giving life. Children, pray for your parents and be obedient to them as Jesus was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Act:

Every child is precious! In every child is the face of our Father in heaven. In every child see the brother or sister of Jesus, the son of Mary. Every child is another St. John the Evangelist entrusted to Mary from the cross.