First Reading | Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10

Why God chose to exercise our salvation the way He did will always be a mystery to us. But if it is good enough for God, then it ought to be good enough for us. In today’s reading, God wants Ahaz to ask for a sign so He can strengthen Ahaz’s faith by granting his prayer. It’s crazy how Ahaz refuses to ask for a sign from God, and so God told him that Jerusalem will be delivered from its siege within the next nine months.

¹⁰ The Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying: ¹¹ “Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!” ¹² But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord!” ¹³ Then Isaiah said: “Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary people, must you also weary my God? ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel. ^8:10 “God is with us!”

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 11

R: Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

⁷ Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not; ⁸ then said I, “Behold I come.” (R) “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, ⁹ to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” (R) ¹⁰ I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O Lord, know. (R) ¹¹ Your justice I kept not hid within my heart; your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of; I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth in the vast assembly. (R)

Second Reading | Hebrews 10:4-10

Apart from the Eucharist, the greatest sacrifice we can offer to the Lord is obedience to His will. This is what Christ offers on the cross: Not so much His life but His obedience to God. It is Christ’s obedience that “undoes” the disobedience and sin of Adam. Let us remain compliant to God’s will and embrace the work of salvation He has begun in us.

⁴ Brothers and sisters: It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins. ⁵ For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; ⁶ in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight. ⁷ Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll: Behold, I come to do your will, O God.’” ⁸ First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.” These are offered according to the law. ⁹ Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. ¹⁰ By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Gospel | Luke 1:26-38

Mary is a great example of obedience. It is inconceivable for Mary to know the consequences of her “yes” to God’s offer to be the mother of His only Son. Even without full knowledge of what it would mean, Mary surrenders to God’s will. Here is a perfect example of faith and trust in God. Let us seek to follow it in our lives.

Gospel Acclamation

The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us; and we saw his glory.

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

What is the most difficult mission that God has asked you to do? 

Did you obey Him despite the difficulty? Why?

Read the Bible in one year! Read GENESIS 43 - 46 today.

Trusting God in Troubled Times

Years ago, a nation stood on the edge of war. Amid the growing crisis, a prophet named Isaiah desperately tried to change the course of history. He approached King Ahaz of Judah, urging him to seek guidance from God instead of relying on military power. But Ahaz refused. Frustrated, Isaiah warned him, “You are not only exhausting your people—you are exhausting God! But whether you ask for it or not, God will give you a sign: A virgin will conceive and bear a son, and he will be called Emmanuel—God with us.”

Centuries later, this prophecy resurfaced, but this time it was addressed to a humble carpenter—Joseph. His heart had been troubled upon learning that Mary was with child, and he had resolved to separate from her quietly. But one night, as he lay asleep, an angel appeared in a dream, telling him to take Mary into his home. Unlike Ahaz, Joseph chose faith over fear and accepted God’s plan.

Pope Francis later found himself in a similar situation, urging the world to turn to prayer as war broke out between Russia and Ukraine. He called for a global consecration, placing humanity—especially Russia and Ukraine—under the protection of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He believed that faith, not weapons, would bring peace. He led a powerful prayer, pleading for the war to end, with this message to Russia: “For the sake of the Blessed Mother you revere, stop this war. You are brothers! Do not break the heart of the very woman you call your mother.”

In every age, people have been faced with the same choice: fear or faith, power or peace, war or love. And so, the world continues to search for hope, longing for the day when people would finally put down their weapons, choose mercy over violence, and truly understand the meaning of Emmanuel—God with us. 

Fr. Toto Cerada, SDB

reflection questions

In times of conflict and uncertainty, do you trust in God’s plan like Joseph, or do you rely on your own strength like Ahaz? How can you choose faith over fear in your daily life?

Lord, help me to seek peace and unity. Grant me the courage to trust You, embrace humility, and be an instrument of reconciliation and love. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ____________________________