Mass Readings for December 21, 2024

Song of Solomon 2:8-14
Zephaniah 3:14-18
Psalms 33:2-3,11-12,20-21
Luke 1:39-45

Song of Solomon 2:8-14
(8) The voice of my beloved! Behold, he comes, leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills. (9) My beloved is like a roe or a young deer. Behold, he stands behind our wall! He looks in at the windows. He glances through the lattice. (10) My beloved spoke, and said to me, “Rise up, my love, my beautiful one, and come away. (11) For, behold, the winter is past. The rain is over and gone. (12) The flowers appear on the earth. The time of the singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. (13) The fig tree ripens her green figs. The vines are in blossom. They give out their fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.” (14) My dove in the clefts of the rock, In the hiding places of the mountainside, Let me see your face. Let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.

Zephaniah 3:14-18
(14) Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem. (15) Yahweh has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, Yahweh, is among you. You will not be afraid of evil any more. (16) In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.” (17) Yahweh, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing. (18) I will remove those who grieve about the appointed feasts from you. They are a burden and a reproach to you.

Psalms 33:2-3,11-12,20-21
(2) Give thanks to Yahweh with the lyre. Sing praises to him with the harp of ten strings. (3) Sing to him a new song. Play skillfully with a shout of joy! (11) The counsel of Yahweh stands fast forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. (12) Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh, the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance. (20) Our soul has waited for Yahweh. He is our help and our shield. (21) For our heart rejoices in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

Luke 1:39-45
(39) Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, (40) and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. (41) When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (42) She called out with a loud voice, and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! (43) Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (44) For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy! (45) Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”