Daily Reflection | Gospel Reading | RVA

THE WORD

FIRST READING

Mic 5: 1–4

But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathaha
least among the clans of Judah,
From you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel;
Whose origin is from of old,
from ancient times.
Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
when she who is to give birth has borne,
Then the rest of his kindred shall return
to the children of Israel.
He shall take his place as shepherd
by the strength of the LORD,
by the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
And they shall dwell securely, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth:
he shall be peace.
If Assyria invades our country
and treads upon our land,
We shall raise against it seven shepherds,
eight of royal standing.

SECOND READING

Heb 10: 5–10

For this reason, when he came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight in. Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll, Behold, I come to do your will, O God.’”

First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in.” These are offered according to the law. Then he says, “Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

GOSPEL READING

Lk 1: 39–45

During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

IN OTHER WORDS

Two unlikely pregnancies. Elizabeth, barren and sterile, conceives a son in her old age. Mary, young and a virgin, becomes a mother without having any relations with a man. These two events, apparently impossible, become possible in God. And they prepare us for a message that is still more improbable and incredible: God becomes man and begins his life among us as a little child.

In Advent, with the prophet Isaiah, we have been waiting for a powerful God, a Prince of Peace (Is 9:1ff). His dominion will be great and his kingdom will have no end (Lk 1:32-33). Instead a child comes – weak, vulnerable, defenseless; a child “wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger” (Lk 2:7). Here, in this weak child, is God; here, in this defenseless child, is our salvation! This is incredible! As incredible as an old barren woman conceiving a son. As incredible as a young virgin girl becoming a mother.

The encounter between two improbable mothers begins as an encounter between two women in need. The older Elizabeth needing the assistance of a younger woman in bringing a son into the world. And the younger Mary needing the reassuring words of an older woman about her son “conceived by the Holy Spirit.” And this encounter in need erupts into the very first beatitude in the New Testament: “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” And it breaks out further into a hymn of praise and thanksgiving: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.” Thus, the encounter between the two women in need turns into an encounter between two graced persons, two highly favored ones.

Mary is blessed, not just because she has been chosen to be the mother of God’s Son, but especially because she has believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled. Mary’s divine motherhood belongs only to her. But her faith belongs to the whole Church and is a model for the faith of all her Son’s disciples. Indeed, to these other disciples, too, the Lord himself will extend the blessedness of the mother: “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” (Lk 11:28).

As we prepare for Christmas, let us listen to Mary’s announcement of the good news. Let us not allow the mountain of indifference and selfishness, the marshes of hatred and unfriendliness, the weeds of insensitivity and greed to prevent her greetings from reaching our hearts. If we do so, what happened to Elizabeth will happen also to us – we will exult with her as we cry out: “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”

• Fr. Antonio Pernia, SVD (DWST, Tagaytay City)

The Word in other words 2015

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
Copyright © 2012 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Jgs 13: 2–7.24–25 / Lk 1: 5–25

In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. Once when he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by Lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God! He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.” Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.” Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute. Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home. After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”

IN OTHER WORDS

The Gospel describes Zechariah and Elizabeth as “righteous in the eyes of God.” The description is a high measure of laudation. In the Old Testament, the virtue of righteousness entails obedience, humility, and trust in God.

Zechariah and Elizabeth belonged to a group called “anawin,” the poor of the Lord who never doubted that God is always true to His promise.

It may be reasonably supposed that when Zechariah and Elizabeth were young they fervently prayed for the greatest gift a married couple could ask: a child. For Elizabeth was barren—a predicament considered to be the most frightening curse or disgrace that could befall any young married woman.

Day-in and day-out, Zechariah and Elizabeth prayed to God for His grace and intervention, their flame of hope blazing with youthful strength and vigor. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years, but their prayers went unheard, while they grew grey, slow, and old.

Inexorable Time slowly dimmed the glow of their expectation for a child.

Although their trust in the Lord remained steadfast, the flame of hope that once gleamed with blinding luster had now been reduced to a flickering smolder of resignation. Elizabeth, now passed her childbearing years, and Zechariah were fast slipping in the slope of decrepitude.

At the sunset of their married life, the prospect of posterity was finally closed to them. And the prayer they uttered in the ardor of youth was now a forgotten document in their memory bank.

That explains why Zechariah was visibly puzzled by Angel Gabriel’s message. “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years,” he deadpanned. Note that Gabriel prefaced his news with a telling salutation: “Do not be afraid . . . Your prayer has been heard.”

We can understand Zechariah’s skepticism. We can’t blame him. With the passage of Time, he had forgotten the prayer of his youth.

But God has not forgotten it, and I think this is the key to understand the Gospel reading. God never forgets our prayers, and he never neglects His promises.

This is what the season of Advent is all about. It is a about the ultimate promise that God will soon fulfill.

• Fr. Raymun J. Festin, SVD (CKMS,QC)

The Word in other words 2015

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
Copyright © 2012 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Jer 23: 5–8 / Mt 1: 18–25

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him ‘Emmanuel,’ which means ‘God is with us.’” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.18

IN OTHER WORDS

Years ago, after working for more than a year in our seminary in Melbourne, Australia, I was given a new missionary assignment in Sydney. I dreaded the day I had to drive alone for more than 10 hours from Melbourne to Sydney. It was not because of the distance, nor the solitude of driving alone, but it was the fact that I never drove in a big city like Sydney where roads can be complex. Upon reaching the first suburb in the outskirts of Sydney, I decided to stop on a secondary road to review the city map, verifying the number of intersections I had to watch and pass before I get to the right place to turn. It was raining, and dusk had fallen. I was nervous and worried, and the car windows and windshield were all foggy as it happens when car windows are closed and outside it is cold. And suddenly, I heard a knock from my car window. That gave me a fright! I opened the car window, and there stood a boy of probably twelve years of age. “You are lost, right?” he said. “Yes!” I replied. “Where are you going?” he continued. “Epping,” I replied. He stretched his arm to me and requested that I hand him my street map. He flipped it to the right, then turned the pages to the left, and in another blink of an eye he said to me, “We are here,” pointing at the page, and turning to the next he continued saying, “You are going there!” He handed back the map to me, and I had a quick look at his direction again. But in the next second as I turned my gaze toward him, he was gone! I didn’t see where he came from, I didn’t know where he went; and all I knew was he pointed to me the right direction.

Joseph, in our gospel today, met an angel in his dream. The angel showed him a way. Yes, he was lost because of the reality of a pregnant fiancé whose child he knew was not his. His decision was molded by the regulated norm of habit and tradition. But the angel’s direction pointed him to launch into the deep and venture with God. The gospel says, “Joseph was a righteous man.” His righteousness allowed him to open up to the God of Surprises that turned his confusion into joy, his shortsighted vision into seeing the horizon of eternity.

Angels are messengers. They allow us to find the right direction. They lead us to dream with God. And someone who dreams with God, makes the dream of many become real. Have you met angels in your life? Have you been an angel to someone whom you have met in life? May there be Advent angels on our journey to Christmas.

• Fr. Bernard Espiritu, SVD (New Zealand)

The Word in other words 2015

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
Copyright © 2012 Society of the Divine Word

 

THE WORD

Gn 49: 2.8–10 / Mt 1: 1–17

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile.

After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.

IN OTHER WORDS

I was a missionary in the Pacific for many years. The vast Pacific Ocean is a sea of islands. The many islands are inhabited by different and diverse peoples known as Micronesians, Polynesians, and Melanesians. If I were to describe these people, I would do it this way. The Micronesians are good at “reading the stars” that guide them when they travel at night. The Polynesians, on the other hand, are good at “reciting their genealogies.” And finally, the Melanesians are good at “observing their taboos.”

The Gospel of today reminds me of the Polynesians, particularly the Samoans among whom I lived and worked for many years. They know the members of their extended family; they know, so to say, their genealogy, their bloodline. They also know the bloodline of each family in their village and in other villages as well. They know who belongs to what family. At an early age, the Samoans learn about their own roots and that of the other families. This is part of their cultural heritage.

In a globalized world, we tend to focus our attention on our own families and forget about our bigger families. The traditional cultures in the Pacific are offering us an alternative to this problem of genealogical ignorance. Basically, going back and treasuring our roots is a challenge for all of us. Our roots define our identity, be it cultural or otherwise. There are many lessons we can learn from the peoples and cultures in the peripheries. Why not learn from them? Let us love and treasure our bloodlines, our family roots

• Fr. Edgar Javier, SVD (DWIMS, Tagaytay City)

The Word in other words 2015

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

	Production : Fr. Carlos Maria de Guzman, Jr., SVD Staff of Logos Publications
	Cover Design : Malou E. Domingo
	Liturgical Calendar : Fr. Atilano Corcuera, SVD
	Production Consultant : Fr. Gerardo del Pinado, SVD
	Scriptural Texts : New American Bible and Daily Roman Missal
	Cover artwork based on photos by Fr. Bar Fabella, SVD
	Published by : Logos Publications, Inc. 1916 Oroquieta St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
	Email Address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Telephone : +63 2 711 1323
	Fax : +63 2 732 273
Copyright © 2012 Society of the Divine Word