Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

Gospel: Matthew 1:1-17
This is the account of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham.
Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (their mother was Tamar), Perez was the father of Hezron, and Hezron of Aram. Aram was the father of Aminadab, Aminadab of Nahshon, Nah shon of Salmon.
Salmon was the father of Boaz. His mother was Rahab. Boaz was the father of Obed. His mother was Ruth. Obed was the father of Jesse.
Jesse was the father of David, the king. David was the father of Solomon. His mother had been Uriah’s wife.
Solomon was the father of Rehoboam. Then came the kings: Abijah, Asaph, Jehoshaphat, Joram, Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah.
Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
After the deportation to Babylon, Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel and Salathiel of Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud, Abiud of Eliakim, and Eliakim of Azor. Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, and Akim the father of Eliud. Eliud was the
father of Eleazar, Eleazar of Matthan, and Matthan of Jacob. Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and from her came Jesus who is called the Christ —the Messiah. There were then fourteen generations from Abraham to David, and fourteen generations from David to the deportation to Babylon, and fourteen generations from the deportation to Babylon to the birth of Christ.

Reflections
“from her came Jesus who is called the Christ — the Messiah.”
My priesthood was also hap­pily spent in the seminary, where I would accompany students who are preparing themselves for the priesthood. It is always a joy to see them ordained after years of their toil. It is perfect for the Church, perfect for me and other formators and perfect for the faithful.
“It is perfect” means God has blessed them. Like the first reading which showcases the blessing of Jacob to Judah, with its joyful accolades and certain assurances. “It is perfect” means that every vocation always comes in God’s perfect time. The Gospel, portraying the triple fourteen generations tells us that God saves us in His perfect time.
The season of Advent reminds that God will always save, accom­pany and sustain us when we truly believe in His loving plan for us. With this faith, we could all the more utter “it is perfect”.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2019

Gospel: Matthew 21:23-27
Jesus had entered the temple and was teaching, when the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the Jewish authorities came to him, and asked, “What authority have you to act like this? Who gave you authority to do all this?”
Jesus answered them, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.” Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from people?”
They discussed this among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ And if we say, ‘The baptism of John was merely something human’, we’ve got to beware of the people, for all consider John to be a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.”
And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Reflections
“Who gave you authority to do all this?”
When the typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) struck Tacloban, Leyte and its neighboring provinces, we were taken affront with in­numerable questions. Some questions sometimes challenge authority. In the midst of rest­lessness, we wrestled towards the authority of God, a God, who ac­ cording to Pope Francis, “would not put us down” and who would allow us to experience His love in ways we would not understand. We journeyed on God’s will and accompanied people through their hunger and crisis.
The first reading refreshes us with the oracle of Balaam. The oracle speaks so well of God’s plan on the rise of David and on his beloved chosen people. It is through His authority that good things unfolded. The Gos­pel brings us to look for God’s authority at all times. Jesus hid his answer not really because he was not capable of it but because of the trap which the Pharisees and Sadducees would have laid on him.
In discerning for authority, it would always be safe to take refuge in God’s loving authority.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2019

Gospel: Matthew 11:2-11
When John the Baptist heard in prison about the deeds of Christ, he sent a message by his disciples, asking him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
Jesus answered them, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead are brought back to life, and the poor hear the good news; and how fortunate is the one who does not take offense at me!”
As the messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “When you went out to the desert, what did you expect to see? A reed swept by the wind? What did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? People who wear fine clothes live in palaces. What did you really go out to see? A prophet? Yes, indeed, and even more than a prophet. He is the man of whom Scripture says: I send my messenger ahead of you, to prepare the way before you.
I tell you this: no one greater than John the Baptist has arisen from among the sons of women; and yet, the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Lectio Divina
READ: Today we are celebrating the Gaudete Sunday meaning joy. A rose candle is lit, inviting us to rejoice because the Lord is near. (Jas 5:8)
REFLECT: The first reading is telling that even the wilderness and the desert will be joyful ­ the wilderness that is wild and barren, and the desert that is so arid because of little rainfall. Life will spring from them. There is the command to strengthen the weak and assure with the presence of God those who are afraid. There is also the prophecy that the blind will see, the deaf will hear and the ran­somed will return to their land. These things signify that some­body is coming and will make all things to happen. He will bring life and joy in his coming. We are excited for his pre­sence, we want to witness how these things will happen, but the second reading is teaching us to be patient. There is no time in waiting. Somebody who waits is not bound by time, only by the joy of expecting. Let us streng­then our hearts as we wait. The Gospel is revealing that it is Jesus who is coming. He alone has the power to heal and restore those who have dis­ability. In his presence creation is revived, and so the blossoming of the wilderness and the desert.
PRAY: The Lord is near, let us rejoice!
ACT: Prepare his way by giving a beautiful smile. Be ahead of others in doing what is good. Be contented of what you have and what you received, but continue on improving yourself.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2019

Gospel: Matthew 17:9a, 10-13
And as they came down the mountain, Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man be raised from the dead.
The disciples asked him, “Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus answered, “So it is: first comes Elijah; and he will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come; and they did not recognize him; and they treated him as they pleased. And they will also make the Son of Man suffer.”
Then the disciples understood that Jesus was referring to John the Baptist.

Reflections
“they will also make the Son of Man suffer.”
In today’s readings, we heard of a prominent figure in the Old Testament – the Prophet Elijah. The Gospel narrative follows im­mediately after the Transfigura­tion event wherein Jesus’ three disciples Peter, James and John, have seen a vision of Jesus as the glorious Son of the Father. In that event, they saw Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus and thereby giving them a hint of the mission of Jesus as Messiah, and his fate: suffering, dying and rising again.
While they were on their way down, the disciples asked Jesus, “Why do the scribes says that Elijah has to come first?” To which Jesus replied: “I tell you that Elijah has come already and they did not re­cognize him but treated him as they pleased.” Elijah had, indeed, arrived, but they did not recognize him. This would also be Jesus’ fate. He came but they did not recognize him. Instead, they persecuted him.
The role of Elijah’s return was to pave the way for the coming of the Messiah and this is what John the Baptist did exactly. Friends, both Elijah and John the Baptist reminds us of our obligation as dis­ciples of the Lord: to do our share in preparing the way for the Lord’s coming. Now, how do I make my own preparations for the Lord’s birth?

© Copyright Bible Diary 2019