Daily Bible Reading - December 8, 2020

 

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1st READING 

Today’s reading allows us to see the seeds of salvation. The image of the woman’s offspring overcoming the devil is Jesus defeating sin and death by His death and resurrection. Our challenge is to accept God’s long-term commitment to the work of salvation. He did not give up on us—this is the story of His relationship with us. Let us pray for the grace to be committed and grateful for His work in us.

Genesis 3:9-15, 20 

⁹ After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree, the Lord God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?” ¹⁰ He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” ¹¹ Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!” ¹² The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me—she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.” ¹³ The Lord God then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.” ¹⁴ Then the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; on your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life. ¹⁵ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.” ²⁰ The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.

PSALM

Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

R: Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.

¹ Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) ² The Lord has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. ³ He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. ⁴ Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R)

2nd READING 

 

St. Paul affirms that God’s plan for our salvation has existed from the moment we sinned. He does not seek revenge nor hold grudges. He does what love invites us to do—forgive and move on in our relationship with one another. God’s forgiveness is absolute. We are still working toward this level of forgiveness in our relationships. Let us be inspired to forgive others just as He has forgiven us.

Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12 

³ Brothers and sisters: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, ⁴ as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love ⁵ he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, ⁶ for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. ¹¹ In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, ¹² so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ.

GOSPEL

Mary doesn’t know the anguish she would experience in the future. She doesn’t know that her Son would die a horrific death on the cross. Her obedience to God’s will began even before her conception, as God chose her to be the mother of His Son. Let us reflect on the Immaculate Conception of Mary where God chose a human being to bear the Savior of the world. Let us remember this honor given to the human race and thank Mary who carried this gift so well.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.

Luke 1:26-38

²⁶ The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹ But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” ³⁴ But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” ³⁵ And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. ³⁶ And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; ³⁷ for nothing will be impossible for God.” ³⁸ Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. 

Reflect: “For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me and holy is His name.” – Luke 1:46-49

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T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST 

thank You, Lord, for: 

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