Up next in 10
Daily Gospel - Sunday, August 17, 2025 - Luke 1:39-56 - Catholic Bible
Aug 17, 2025
Welcome to our daily encounter with the Word of God! Today, we reflect on the readings taken from the Book of Revelation (Revelation 11:19a;12:1-6a.10ab), the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (1Corinthians 15:20-27a), and the Gospel according to St. Luke (Luke 1:39-56). These passages invite us to contemplate God’s victory over evil and the greatness of the Virgin Mary, who humbly accepted to be the Mother of the Savior. First Reading (Revelation 11:19a;12:1-6a.10ab): Revelation presents a magnificent vision: the Ark of the Covenant appears in heaven, followed by the sign of the Woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars. This image symbolizes God’s victory, the Church, and in a special way, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Despite the dragon that represents evil, God’s protection prevails and victory is assured. Second Reading (1Corinthians 15:20-27a): St. Paul reminds us that Christ is risen as the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Just as death came through Adam, in Christ all will be made alive. He reigns until all enemies are placed under his feet, and the last enemy to be destroyed is death. This passage strengthens our hope in the resurrection and in God’s final victory. Gospel (Luke 1:39-56): The Gospel recounts Mary’s visitation to her cousin Elizabeth. At Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, recognizes the greatness of the Mother of the Lord. Mary responds with the Magnificat, a hymn of praise that exalts God’s mercy and reflects her humility in serving Him. Reflection and Call to Conversion Today’s readings invite us to trust in God’s power, which conquers all evil, and to follow Mary’s example of faith, humility, and service. She is a sign of God’s victory and a model for every Christian. 📖 Readings of the Day: First Reading: Revelation 11:19a;12:1-6a.10ab
View Video Transcript
0:04
[Music]
0:07
Reading from the book of Revelation by
0:09
St. John. The temple of God in heaven
0:12
was opened and the ark of his covenant
0:14
appeared in the temple. Then a great
0:16
sign appeared in heaven. A woman clothed
0:19
with the sun with a moon under her feet
0:21
and on her head a crown of 12 stars.
0:24
Then another sign appeared in heaven. a
0:27
great dragon, fiery in color. He had
0:30
seven heads and 10 horns, and on his
0:33
heads were seven crowns. His tail swept
0:36
a third of the stars in the sky and
0:38
threw them to the earth. The dragon
0:40
stood before the woman who was about to
0:42
give birth, ready to devour her child as
0:44
soon as it was born. And she gave birth
0:47
to a male child who was to rule all the
0:50
nations with an iron rod. But the child
0:52
was taken to God and his throne. The
0:55
woman fled to the wilderness where a
0:58
place God had prepared for him. Then I
1:00
heard a loud voice in heaven proclaim,
1:03
"Now have come the salvation and
1:04
strength and kingdom of our God and the
1:07
authority of his Christ." Word of the
1:09
Lord. Thanks be to God.
1:14
[Music]
1:20
Reading from the first letter of St.
1:22
Paul to the Corinthians. Brothers and
1:25
sisters, Christ has been raised from the
1:27
dead, the first fruits of those who have
1:30
fallen asleep. For through a man came
1:32
death, and through a man comes the
1:34
resurrection of the dead. Just as in
1:37
Adam all die, so also in Christ all will
1:40
be made alive, but each in his own
1:43
order. Christ first, the first fruits,
1:46
then those who belong to Christ at his
1:48
coming. Afterward will be the end when
1:51
he hands over the kingdom to God the
1:53
Father after he has destroyed every rule
1:55
and every authority and power. For he
1:58
must reign until all his enemies are put
2:00
under his feet. The last enemy to be
2:03
destroyed is death. Indeed, God has put
2:07
everything under his feet. The word of
2:09
the Lord. The word of the Lord. Thanks
2:12
be to God.
2:21
[Music]
2:22
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
2:24
Christ according to St. Luke. Glory to
2:27
you, Lord. In those days, Mary set out
2:31
and went with haste to a Judeian town in
2:33
the hill country. She entered the house
2:35
of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When
2:38
Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the
2:40
baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth
2:43
was filled with the Holy Spirit. With a
2:45
loud cry, she exclaimed, "Blessed are
2:48
you among women, and blessed is the
2:50
fruit of your womb. How can I deserve
2:52
that the mother of my Lord should come
2:54
to me?" As soon as the sound of your
2:56
greeting reached my ears, the baby in my
2:59
womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who
3:02
believed, for what the Lord promised her
3:04
would be fulfilled." Then Mary said, "My
3:08
soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit
3:11
rejoices in God, my Savior, for he has
3:13
looked with favor on the loneliness of
3:15
his servant. From now on, all
3:17
generations will call me blessed, for
3:19
the Almighty has done great things for
3:21
me. Holy is his name, and his mercy is
3:24
on those who fear him from generation to
3:27
generation. He has shown strength with
3:29
his arm. He has scattered the proud in
3:32
their hearts. He has brought down the
3:34
mighty from their thrones and exalted
3:36
the humble. He has filled the hungry
3:38
with good things and sent the rich away
3:40
empty. He has helped his servant Israel,
3:43
remembering his mercy as he promised our
3:46
fathers to Abraham and his descendants
3:49
forever. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for
3:51
3 months, then returned home. Word of
3:55
salvation. Word of salvation. Glory to
3:59
you, Lord.
4:02
[Music]
4:08
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
4:10
imagine for a moment that you are
4:12
observing the night sky. Suddenly, the
4:15
stars begin to move, forming a celestial
4:18
dance of light and beauty. A woman
4:21
clothed with the sun appears with the
4:23
moon beneath her feet and a crown of 12
4:25
stars upon her head. This extraordinary
4:28
image from the book of revelation is not
4:30
only a mystical vision but an invitation
4:32
to contemplate the sublime mystery of
4:34
divine motherhood and its importance for
4:36
all humanity. Today we celebrate the
4:39
assumption of our lady. A feast that
4:41
invites us to contemplate not only the
4:43
glorification of Mary but also the but
4:46
the glorious destiny that God has
4:47
prepared for us all. Today's readings
4:50
paint a magnificent picture of hope,
4:52
victory, and transformation that echoes
4:55
down the centuries to us. In Revelation,
4:58
John presents us with a vision that
5:00
defies our imagination. A great sign
5:03
appeared in heaven. A woman clothed with
5:05
a sun, with a moon under her feet, and
5:08
on her head a crown of 12 stars.
5:11
This is no casual description. Each
5:13
element carries profound meaning. The
5:16
woman clothed with the sun represents
5:18
the divine glory that surrounds Mary.
5:21
The moon under her feet symbolizes her
5:23
victory over the forces of darkness and
5:25
death. The 12 stars in her crown remind
5:28
us of the 12 tribes of Israel and the
5:30
twel apostles connecting the old and new
5:33
testaments. This woman is pregnant,
5:36
crying in pain, in agony of giving
5:38
birth. What a powerful image. Mary in
5:42
her motherhood not only brought Christ
5:44
into the world, but also participated
5:47
intimately in the drama of salvation.
5:49
Her labor pains are the pains of a world
5:51
being redeemed, of a new creation being
5:54
born. But the vision continues with a
5:56
terrifying image. A red dragon with
5:59
seven heads and 10 horns, ready to
6:01
devour the unborn child. This dragon
6:04
represents all the forces of evil that
6:06
oppose God's plan of salvation. Since
6:09
the beginning of human history, since
6:11
the first promise of redemption in Eden,
6:14
Satan has tried to thwart God's saving
6:16
work. But be careful, the dragon does
6:19
not win. The child was caught up to God
6:22
and his throne. Christ born of Mary
6:26
conquers death and ascends to heaven.
6:29
And Mary the woman crowned with stars
6:31
finds refuge in the desert where God had
6:34
prepared a place for him. This is not
6:37
just a story about Mary. It is our story
6:40
too. Each of us is invited to
6:42
participate in this cosmic battle
6:44
between good and evil, between light and
6:46
darkness. and Mary shows us the path to
6:49
victory through faith, obedience, and
6:52
complete trust in God. In the second
6:54
reading, Paul offers us a complimentary
6:57
perspective on this victory. Christ has
7:00
been raised from the dead, the firstborn
7:02
of those who have died. What a statement
7:05
of hope. Christ not only conquered death
7:08
for himself, but he paved the way for
7:10
all of us to share in this victory. Paul
7:13
uses an agricultural analogy that
7:15
resonates deeply. As in Adam all die,
7:18
even so in Christ all will be made
7:20
alive.
7:22
Imagine a field ravaged by winter,
7:24
seemingly dead and lifeless. But beneath
7:27
the surface, the seeds are waiting for
7:30
spring to sprout into new life. In the
7:32
same way, our mortality in Adam is
7:35
transformed into eternal life through
7:37
Christ. And then Paul gives us a
7:39
glorious vision of the end times. He
7:42
must reign until he has put all his
7:44
enemies under his feet. The last enemy
7:46
to be destroyed is death. What an
7:49
extraordinary promise. Not only our
7:52
individual death, but death itself as a
7:55
cosmic force will be defeated. It is
7:57
precisely this victory over death that
7:59
we celebrate in the assumption of Mary.
8:02
She who carried Christ in her womb, who
8:04
brought him into the world, who remained
8:07
faithful at the foot of the cross, now
8:09
participates fully in his glorious
8:11
resurrection. In the gospel, we
8:13
encounter a more intimate but equally
8:16
powerful scene. Mary, newly announced as
8:19
the mother of the Messiah, travels in
8:21
haste to visit her cousin Elizabeth.
8:24
This is not just a social visit. It is a
8:26
meeting of two women pregnant with
8:28
divine promises. When Elizabeth heard
8:31
Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her
8:33
womb. What an extraordinary moment. Even
8:37
before birth, John the Baptist
8:40
recognizes the presence of Christ in
8:42
Mary's womb. It is as if all creation
8:45
reacts to the Savior's nearness. And
8:47
then Elizabeth, filled with the Holy
8:49
Spirit, proclaims one of the most
8:51
beautiful blessings in history. Blessed
8:54
are you among women, and blessed is the
8:56
fruit of thy womb. These words which we
8:59
repeat with every Hail Mary are not
9:01
merely a greeting but a prophetic
9:03
proclamation of Mary's unique importance
9:05
in the history of salvation. But Mary
9:08
does not remain silent. She bursts forth
9:11
in what we know as the Magnificat. A
9:13
canacle that reveals not only her
9:15
humility but her profound understanding
9:17
of God's plan. My soul magnifies the
9:20
Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my
9:23
savior. Note that Mary refers to God as
9:26
her savior. Even as the mother of God,
9:30
she recognizes her need for salvation.
9:33
This reminds us that Mary, though unique
9:35
in her vocation, shares with us the need
9:38
for Christ's redemptive grace. But the
9:41
Magnificat goes beyond Mary's personal
9:43
experience. It is a revolutionary
9:46
canacle that proclaims God's justice. He
9:49
has put down the mighty from their
9:50
thrones and exalted the lowly. He has
9:53
filled the hungry with good things and
9:55
sent the rich away empty. Mary is
9:58
proclaiming that God is not indifferent
9:59
to the injustices of the world. He sees
10:02
the suffering of the oppressed, hears
10:04
the cry of the poor and acts to bring
10:07
justice and mercy. This is an essential
10:09
dimension of the gospel that we
10:11
sometimes forget. God cares not only for
10:14
our souls but for our entire human
10:16
reality. My dear brothers and sisters,
10:19
the assumption of Mary is not just a
10:21
Marian feast. It is a feast of hope for
10:24
all humanity. Mary assumed body and soul
10:27
into heaven is the first fruits of our
10:30
own future resurrection. She shows us
10:32
that the ultimate destiny of human
10:34
beings is not the corruption of the
10:36
tomb, but the glory of eternal life with
10:38
God. But this hope does not make us
10:41
passive. Just as Mary rose in haste to
10:44
serve Elizabeth, we are called to rise
10:46
up and serve our wounded world. We are
10:49
called to be instruments of justice and
10:51
mercy, proclaiming through our lives
10:53
that God casts down the mighty and
10:55
raises up the low, humble. We are called
10:58
to be like Mary, bearers of Christ to
11:01
the world. Every time we comfort the
11:03
afflicted, feed the hungry, visit the
11:06
sick, defend the oppressed, we are
11:08
allowing Christ to be born a new in our
11:10
world through us. And when we face
11:12
life's difficulties, when the red dragon
11:15
of our own time seems threatening, let
11:17
us remember the woman clothed with the
11:19
sun. Mary faced unimaginable challenges,
11:22
the scandal of an unexplained pregnancy,
11:25
the flight into Egypt, the
11:26
incomprehension, the indescribable pain
11:29
of seeing her son crucified. But through
11:32
it all, she maintained her faith, her
11:34
hope, her trust in God. And in the end,
11:38
her faithfulness was rewarded with a
11:40
glory that surpasses all imagination.
11:43
She who said yes to God's plan, even
11:45
without fully understanding, now reigns
11:48
with Christ in heaven, interceding for
11:50
all of us, her adopted children. May we,
11:53
inspired by her example, say our own yes
11:57
to God each day. May we face life's
12:00
challenges with the same courage and
12:03
faith. And may we always live in hope of
12:05
the glory that awaits us, knowing that
12:08
the woman clothed with the son has
12:09
preceded us and awaits us in the
12:11
father's house. May, our heavenly
12:14
mother, intercede for us now and at the
12:16
hour of our death, and guide us safely
12:19
to the same glorious destiny she
12:20
attained. May her assumption be for us
12:23
not only a reason for celebration, but a
12:26
source of hope and inspiration to live
12:27
as true sons and daughters of God. under
12:30
the protective mantle of the queen of
12:32
heaven. Let us walk confidently toward
12:34
the heavenly homeland where one day we
12:36
hope to contemplate face to face the one
12:38
who Mary brought into the world for our
12:40
salvation. Amen.
12:43
[Music]
12:51
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in
12:54
battle. Be our protection against the
12:56
wickedness and snares of the devil. May
12:58
God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do
13:02
thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by
13:05
the power of God, cast into hell Satan
13:08
and all the evil spirits who prowl
13:11
throughout the world seeking the ruin of
13:13
souls. Amen.
13:16
[Music]