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Daily Readings:
Saints/Martyrs/Heroes/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated: the Seventh Day of Christmastide, Eve of the Naming Of Jesus
Scriptural Readings:
December 31st, 2010
Friday of Sunday after Christmas
Christmastide VII
Read today's Higher Things Daily Reflection
December 31, 2010 - Eve of the Name of Jesus
Today's Reading: Luke 12:35-40
Daily Lectionary: Isaiah 60:1-22; Luke 1:39-56
Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." (Luke 12:40)
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Merry Christmas! We know when New Year's Eve arrives: at midnight, our time. We can watch the lighted ball drop in Times Square year after year and with precision, greet the new year. We never have to guess. But with our Lord it is different. He is not predictable. His return and the Last Day are not on a calendar. You can't compute them based on the sun and moon. It will happen when it happens. You've probably gotten everything ready for your New Year's party: snacks, drinks, noisemakers—but are you ready for the moment when the Lord returns?
Some churches make out being “ready” as somehow stopping sinning. If that's what makes us ready, we're doomed! Rather, when Jesus says to be ready, that means to be in Him. Of course, as Christians, we don't live as the world does, doing whatever we want just because we can. Rather, we live in Christ, knowing that when He returns, He will find us ready, because He Himself has made us ready by the blood of His cross. When He comes, He will not see our sins, for they have been wiped away by His own suffering and death. When He comes, we will be dressed and ready with the robe of our Baptism and will be fed and alert with His Body and Blood.
To be ready for the return of Jesus is to live daily in prayer, confession, forgiveness and the gifts of your Baptism. It is to be in the Word which brings us repentance and faith and trust in Christ. It is to live in the Divine Service, hearing His Word and feasting on His flesh and blood. You can't get more ready for Jesus than to be filled with Jesus!
The end of another year is a gentle reminder that one day this world will also end. The party we will celebrate then will not be for another year, but for an eternity with our Lord Jesus Christ who has Himself made us ready for when He comes again. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Glory to God in highest heav'n, Who unto us His Son has giv'n! While angels sing with pious mirth A glad new year to all the earth. (LSB 358:15)
Questions or comments regarding the Reflections may be sent to the Rev. Mark Buetow, Reflectons Editor, reflections@higherthings.org.
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Collect
O God, our Maker and Redeemer, You wonderfully created us and in the incarnation of Your Son yet more wondrously restored our human nature. Grant that we may ever be alive in Him who made Himself to be like us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
First Reading: Is. 60:1-22
The Future Glory of Israel
1(A) Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and(B) the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. 2For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;but the LORD will arise upon you,
and his glory will be seen upon you. 3(C) And nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your rising.
4(D) Lift up your eyes all around, and see;
they all gather together, they come to you;(E) your sons shall come from afar,
and your daughters shall be carried on the hip. 5Then you shall see and(F) be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and exult,[a]because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
(G) the wealth of the nations shall come to you. 6A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of(H) Midian and(I) Ephah;
all those from(J) Sheba shall come.(K) They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall bring good news, the praises of the LORD. 7All the flocks of(L) Kedar shall be gathered to you;
the rams of(M) Nebaioth shall minister to you;(N) they shall come up with acceptance on my altar,
(O) and I will beautify my beautiful house.
8Who are these that fly like a cloud,
and(P) like doves to their windows? 9For(Q) the coastlands shall hope for me,
(R) the ships of Tarshish first,(S) to bring your children from afar,
their silver and gold with them,for the name of the LORD your God,
and for the Holy One of Israel,
because(T) he has made you beautiful.
10(U) Foreigners shall build up your walls,
and their kings shall minister to you;for in my wrath I struck you,
but in my favor I have had mercy on you. 11(V) Your gates shall be open continually;
day and night they shall not be shut,that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations,
with their kings led in procession. 12(W) For the nation and kingdom
that will not serve you shall perish;
those nations shall be utterly laid waste. 13(X) The glory of Lebanon shall come to you,
the cypress, the plane, and(Y) the pine,to beautify the place of my sanctuary,
and I will make the place of my feet glorious. 14(Z) The sons of those who afflicted you
shall come bending low to you,(AA) and all who despised you
shall bow down at your feet;(AB) they shall call you the City of the LORD,
the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
15(AC) Whereas you have been forsaken and hated,
with no one passing through,(AD) I will make you majestic forever,
a joy from age to age. 16(AE) You shall suck the milk of nations;
you shall nurse at the breast of kings;and you shall know that(AF) I, the LORD, am your Savior
and your Redeemer,(AG) the Mighty One of Jacob.
17Instead of bronze I will bring gold,
and instead of iron I will bring silver;instead of wood, bronze,
instead of stones, iron.I will make your overseers peace
(AH) and your taskmasters righteousness. 18(AI) Violence shall no more be heard in your land,
devastation or destruction within your borders;(AJ) you shall call your walls Salvation,
and your gates Praise.
19(AK) The sun shall be no more
your light by day,nor for brightness shall the moon
give you light;[b]but the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.[c] 20Your sun shall no more go down,
nor your moon withdraw itself;for the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and(AL) your days of mourning shall be ended. 21(AM) Your people shall all be righteous;
(AN) they shall possess the land forever,(AO) the branch of my planting, the work of my hands,
that I might be glorified.[d] 22(AP) The least one shall become a clan,
and the smallest one a mighty nation;(AQ) I am the LORD;
in its time I will hasten it.
Footnotes:Isaiah 60:5 Hebrew your heart shall tremble and grow wide Isaiah 60:19 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Targum add by night Isaiah 60:19 Or your beauty Isaiah 60:21 Or that I might display my beauty
Cross references:Isaiah 60:1 : Eph 5:14 Isaiah 60:1 : Isaiah 40:5; 58:8; Mal 4:2 Isaiah 60:3 : Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; Rev 21:24 Isaiah 60:4 : Isaiah 49:18 Isaiah 60:4 : Isaiah 60:9; Isaiah 66:20 Isaiah 60:5 : Psalm 34:5 Isaiah 60:5 : Isaiah 61:6 Isaiah 60:6 : Judg 6:5 Isaiah 60:6 : Gen 25:4 Isaiah 60:6 : 1 Kgs 10:1; Psalm 72:10 Isaiah 60:6 : Matt 2:11 Isaiah 60:7 : Isaiah 21:16 Isaiah 60:7 : Gen 25:13; 28:9; 36:3 Isaiah 60:7 : Isaiah 56:7 Isaiah 60:7 : Hag 2:7 Isaiah 60:8 : Hos 11:11; Gen 8:9 Isaiah 60:9 : Isaiah 51:5; Isaiah 11:11 Isaiah 60:9 : Isaiah 2:16 Isaiah 60:9 : Gal 4:26 Isaiah 60:9 : Isaiah 44:23; 55:5 Isaiah 60:10 : Isaiah 45:1, 13; Zech 6:15 Isaiah 60:11 : Rev 21:25, 26 Isaiah 60:12 : Zech 14:17-19 Isaiah 60:13 : Isaiah 35:2 Isaiah 60:13 : Isaiah 41:19 Isaiah 60:14 : Isaiah 14:1, 2; Zech 8:23 Isaiah 60:14 : Isaiah 49:23; Rev 3:9 Isaiah 60:14 : Isaiah 1:26; 62:2 Isaiah 60:15 : Isaiah 54:6; 62:4 Isaiah 60:15 : Psalm 47:4; Isaiah 65:18 Isaiah 60:16 : Isaiah 49:23; 66:11, 12 Isaiah 60:16 : Isaiah 43:3; 49:26; Isaiah 47:4 Isaiah 60:16 : Gen 49:24; Psalm 132:2 Isaiah 60:17 : Isaiah 58:3 Isaiah 60:18 : Isaiah 11:9 Isaiah 60:18 : Isaiah 26:1 Isaiah 60:19 : Zech 14:6, 7; Rev 21:23; 22:5; Isaiah 24:23; 30:26 Isaiah 60:20 : Isaiah 35:10; 65:19; Rev 21:4 Isaiah 60:21 : Isaiah 52:1; Jer 31:34 Isaiah 60:21 : Psalm 37:9; Ezek 37:25 Isaiah 60:21 : Isaiah 61:3 Isaiah 60:22 : Matt 13:31 Isaiah 60:22 : Hab 2:3
Second Reading: Luke 1:39-56
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39In those days Mary arose and went with haste into(A) the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth(B) was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42and she exclaimed with a loud cry,(C) "Blessed are you among women, and(D) blessed is(E) the fruit of your womb! 43And why is this granted to me that the mother of(F) my Lord should come to me? 44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45And(G) blessed is she who believed that there would be[a] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat
46And Mary said,
(H) "My(I) soul(J) magnifies the Lord,
47(K) and my(L) spirit rejoices in(M) God my Savior, 48for(N) he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations(O) will call me blessed; 49for(P) he who is mighty(Q) has done great things for me,
and(R) holy is his name. 50And(S) his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation. 51(T) He has shown strength with his arm;
(U) he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52(V) he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
(W) and exalted those of humble estate; 53he has filled(X) the hungry with good things,
and the rich(Y) he has sent away empty. 54He has(Z) helped(AA) his servant Israel,
(AB) in remembrance of his mercy, 55(AC) as he spoke to our fathers,
(AD) to Abraham and to his offspring forever."
56And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Footnotes:Luke 1:45 Or believed, for there will be
Cross references:Luke 1:39 : Luke 1:65; Josh 20:7; 21:11 Luke 1:41 : Luke 1:15, 67 Luke 1:42 : Judg 5:24 Luke 1:42 : Deut 28:4 Luke 1:42 : Psalm 127:3 Luke 1:43 : Luke 20:42; John 20:28; Luke 2:11 Luke 1:45 : John 20:29; Luke 1:20 Luke 1:46 : For Luke 1:46-53, 1 Sam 2:1-10 Luke 1:46 : 1 Thess 5:23 Luke 1:46 : Psalm 34:2, 3; 69:30; Acts 10:46; 19:17 Luke 1:47 : Psalm 35:9; Isa 61:10; Hab 3:18; Acts 16:34 Luke 1:47 : Luke 1:46 Luke 1:47 : Psalm 106:21; 1 Tim 1:1; 2:3; Titus 1:3; 2:10; 3:4; Jude 25; 2 Tim 1:9 Luke 1:48 : 1 Sam 1:11; Psalm 138:6; Luke 9:38 Luke 1:48 : Luke 11:27; Psalm 72:17; Mal 3:12 Luke 1:49 : Psalm 89:8; Zeph 3:17 Luke 1:49 : Psalm 71:19; 126:2, 3 Luke 1:49 : Psalm 99:3; 111:9; Isa 57:15 Luke 1:50 : Deut 5:10; 7:9; Psalm 89:1, 2; 103:17 Luke 1:51 : Psalm 89:10; 98:1; 118:16; Isa 51:9 Luke 1:51 : Dan 4:37; James 4:6 Luke 1:52 : Luke 1:51 Luke 1:52 : Job 5:11; Psalm 75:7; 107:40, 41; 113:7, 8; 147:6; Ezek 21:26; James 4:10 Luke 1:53 : Psalm 34:10; 107:9; Luke 6:21, 24, 25 Luke 1:53 : Job 22:9 Luke 1:54 : Isa 41:8, 9; Heb 2:16 Luke 1:54 : Isa 44:21; 49:3 Luke 1:54 : Psalm 98:3; Mic 7:20; Luke 1:72, 73 Luke 1:55 : Gen 17:19; Psalm 132:11; Gal 3:16 Luke 1:55 : Luke 1:54
Friday Father Reading
"Christ bore Himself in His own hands when He gave His very Body, saying, 'This is My Body.' He bore His own Body, therefore, in His own hands." [St. Augustine. "Commentary on Psalm 33." 5th Century]
All Scripture Readings: English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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