Monday, August 15, 2022

Revelation 11: 19a; 12: 1 - 6, 10

Then God's temple in heaven opened and in the temple could be seen the ark of the covenant. There were flashes of lightning and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a violent hailstorm.

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. Because she was with child, she wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign appeared in the sky: it was a huge dragon, flaming red, with seven heads and ten horns; on his heads were seven diadems. His tail swept a third of the stars from the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, ready to devour her child when it should be born. She gave birth to a son - a boy destined to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and to his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert, where a special place had been prepared for her by God; there she was taken care of for twelve hundred and sixty days.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have salvation and power come, the reign of our God and the authority of his Anointed one. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who night and day accused them before our God.

Psalms 45: 10,11,12,16

  The daughters of kings come to meet you; the queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.   Hear, O daughter , and see; turn your ear, forget your people and your father's house.  So shall the king desire your beauty; for he is your lord, and you must worship him.

  They are born in with gladness and joy; they enter the palace of the king.

First letter of Paul to the Corinthians 15: 20 - 27

But as it is, Christ is now raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. Death came through a man; hence the resurrection of the dead comes through a man also. Just as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will come to life again, but each one in proper order: Christ the first fruits and then, at his coming, all those who belong to him. After that will come the end, when, after having destroyed every sovereignty, authority, and power, he will hand over the kingdom to God the Father. Christ must reign until God has put all enemies under his feet, and the last enemy to be destroyed is death. Scripture reads that God "Has placed all things under his feet." But when it says that everything has been made subject, it is clear that he who has made everything subject to Christ is excluded.

Gospel of Luke 1: 39 - 56

Thereupon Mary set out, proceeding in haste into the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leapt in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice: "Blest are you among women and blest is the fruit of your womb. But who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me? The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby leapt in my womb for joy. Blest is she who trusted that the Lord's words to her would be fulfilled."

Then Mary said:

"My being proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy God my savior, for he has looked upon his servant in her lowliness; all ages to come shall call me blessed. God who is mighty has done great things for me, holy is his name; his mercy is from age to age on those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm; he has confused the proud in their inmost thoughts. He has deposed the mighty from their thrones and raised the lowly to high places. The hungry he has given every good thing, while the rich he has sent empty away. He has upheld Israel his servant, ever mindful of his mercy; even as he promised our fathers, promised Abraham and his descendants forever."

Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home.