The Genealogy of Jesus

Today's Reflection

 

 

The Genealogy of Jesus

Mt 1:1-17

¹The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

²Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. ³Judah became the father of

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and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. ... Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, ⁶Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. ⁷Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. ... ¹⁰Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. ¹¹Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile.

... Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, ¹⁵Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, ¹⁶Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.

¹⁷Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Genealogies are important for the Israelites. Inheritance of the firstborn, legitimacy among the priestly class, positions of eldership in clans and tribes, and rightful claims to the throne of King David are established through genealogies.

Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus shows that Jesus comes from the lineage of David from whom the Messiah will come. But the list does not trace a pure Jewish bloodline: Abraham was from Chaldea (old name of Babylon), Tamar was a Canaanite, Rahab was from Jericho, and Ruth was a Moabite. Jesus’ family record also includes saints and sinners: Abraham, a man of faith, was a liar; Judah had a child with his daughter-in-law; David, the devout king, was an adulterer; and Solomon, in spite of his wisdom, was fooled to worship his wives’ gods.

What of your family history are you called

to finally embrace, accept, and forgive?

Invite Jesus to touch and heal your family tree.

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

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The Authority of Jesus Questioned

Mt 21:23-27

²³When [Jesus] had come into the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?” ²⁴Jesus said to them in reply, “I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵Where was John’s baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?” They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ ²⁶But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet.” ²⁷So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” He himself said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

By what authority are you doing these things? Mt 21-22 describes five controversies between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. Today’s Gospel, about the authority of Jesus, is the first of the five.

The chief priests and elders question Jesus on his authority to do “these things,” that is: his entry to Jerusalem and subsequent cleansing of the temple, his healings done with forgiveness of sins, and his unconventional teachings and unique commentaries about the Torah. The chief priests have legitimate power based on the Law of Moses and their priestly lineage and bloodline. Rabbis have legitimacy with their formal schooling on the Law and their ordination.

In comparison, Jesus is seen as a “self-made, self-proclaimed” prophet and teacher from Galilee. However, many have a high regard for him because of his integrity. He practices what he teaches.

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What about persons impress you?

Their lineage? Their position and wealth?

Their achievements? Their learnings?

How important is integrity for you?

John the Baptist’s Testimony

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John the Baptist’s Testimony

Jn 1:6-8, 19-28

⁶A man named John was sent from God. ⁷He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. ⁸He was not the light, but came to testify to the light.

¹⁹And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites [to him] to ask him, “Who are you?” ²⁰he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Messiah.” ²¹So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” ²²So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” ²³He said:/ “I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the desert,/ “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’/ as Isaiah the prophet said.” ²⁴Some Pharisees were also sent. ²⁵They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?” ²⁶John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, ²⁷the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” ²⁸This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

John the Witness. We encounter again the figure of Yohanan Bar-Zechariyahu (John, the son of Zechariah). Because he baptizes people in the Jordan River, the moniker “Baptist” or “Baptizer” (Hebrew ha-tebil) is attached to his name. But in the Fourth Gospel, John is primarily a “witness”—the first and the witness par excellence to Jesus.

What witness does John give to the delegation consisting of priests and Levites who put him through a formal inquiry, as if in a trial? Who is he and why does he baptize? Rather than identify himself, John formally states who he is not—not the Messiah, not Elijah, not the Prophet like Moses. When pressed for his self-identity, he reveals himself as “the voice” crying in the desert.

The voice acknowledges that he baptizes only with water. But he goes on to say: “There is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”

John seems to be making a reference to a Jewish tradition according to which the Messiah will remain relatively obscure until the moment of his presentation to Israel. In fact, in one confrontation between Jesus and the Jews, the latter remark, “When the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from” (Jn 7:27). This is different from the popular belief that the Messiah is the “son of David” coming from Bethlehem.

John’s act of humility further enhances the honor of the one he gives witness to: Jesus of Nazareth. Here and in the following episodes, John testifies to Jesus as the Master to whom he is unworthy to minister as servant, the Son of God, the Lamb of God, the Bridegroom.

John testifies not only with words but also with acts. And he witnesses to the very end, up to the shedding of his blood. The Synoptic gospels give us accounts of his martyrdom in the hands of Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee. The liturgy celebrates this witnessing of John in his Preface at Mass: “He baptized the very author of Baptism and was privileged to bear him supreme witness by the shedding of his blood.”

The Coming of Elijah

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The Coming of Elijah

Mt 17:9a, 10-13

9As they were coming down from the mountain, 10the disciples asked [Jesus], “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come and restore all things; 12but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands.” 13Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

Reflections

Elijah will indeed come and restore all things. Elijah, the great prophet of the Old Testament, was taken up to heaven in body and soul in a chariot of fire (cf 2 Kgs 2:11). In Mal 3:23-24, it is believed that Elijah will come again before “the great and terrible day” of the Lord.

This is interpreted literally by the Jews, while Jesus connects it to the emergence of John the Baptist. Besides being a miracle worker and disturber of the worship of Baal, the spirit of Elijah is said to “turn the heart of fathers to their sons, and the heart of sons to their fathers” (Mal 3:24).

This, in fact, is how the angel Gabriel describes the mission of Zechariah’s son John: “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” (Lk 1:17).

Look and determine whether the spirit of Elijah is relevant in our times and what “restorations” and “turning of hearts” may be needed among us today.

Make a “spiritual wish list” for your family—

something that you will lift up in your prayers

this Advent and during the Misa de Gallo.

Jesus Laments

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Jesus Laments

Mt 11:16-19

[Jesus said to the crowds,] ¹⁶“To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, ¹⁷‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’ ¹⁸For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ ¹⁹The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”

We played the flute… We sang a dirge. Though many times dear to Jesus, children are cited here not for their goodness but for their fickleness and lack of maturity. The children make out two groups, each proposing different ways of entertainment to which the other does not agree. Hence, a frustrating and futile exercise which Jesus likens to that which the mission for God’s kingdom encounters. A group condemns Jesus for being too liberal in his teachings and ways, while another group criticizes John the Baptist for being too strict and harsh.

Therefore to work properly for God, seek only God’s will, not the pleasure of all.

How much do the opinions of others

influence and affect you?

Can you be nonconformist?

When do you usually find this necessary?

Jesus’ Testimony to John

Today's Reflections

                                                                                   

 

Jesus’ Testimony to John

Mt 11:11-15

[Jesus said to the crowds,] ¹¹“Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹²From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. ¹³All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. ¹⁴And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. ¹⁵Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

If you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah. John the Baptist is compared to Elijah. Elijah is regarded as the most powerful of the prophets: fed by a widow of Zarephath, he made her jar of flour not go empty and her jug of oil not run dry, then later raised her dead son back to life (cf 1 Kgs 17:9-24). Above all, Elijah—whose name literally means “YHWH is God”—was the mighty prophet who ended the pagan worship of Baal in Israel through a powerful proclamation and miracle at Mount Carmel where he challenged the 850 false prophets under the employ of King Ahab (cf 1 Kgs 18:16ff). For this Elijah is called the “disturber of Israel.”

In like manner, John the Baptist receives a strong outpouring of the Holy Spirit that makes him preach without compromise against the evil ways of Herod and his court, and against the corruption of soldiers and tax collectors whom he labels as “brood of vipers” (cf Lk 3:7-14).

This season of Advent,

is God “disturbing” you? About what?

Are there persons whom you consider

“disturbers” in your life now?

What is God telling you about them?

The Gentle Mastery of Christ

Today's Reflections

                                                                                   

 

The Gentle Mastery of Christ

Mt 11:28-30

[Jesus said,] ²⁸“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Take my yoke upon you. Our lives and our works need a sense of purpose and direction. In a way, this need is symbolized by the “yoke.”

Ben Sirach (cf Sir 51:23, 26) invites us to see that Wisdom from God is the sure yoke for a meaningful living. When visions of God and prophecies became rare in Israel, the people and leaders turned to the Law as their guide to a righteous and wisdom-filled living. However, the many commentaries and interpretations of the scribes about the proper execution of the Law became too much and too burdensome!

Amid all these, Jesus, with his compassionate words and merciful acts, is a fresh, renewing, and inspiring source of wisdom. Moreover, since he comes as the Word-of-God-made-flesh, Jesus—in his person, actions, and teachings—is Wisdom incarnate.

Authentic living cannot be simply “easy”…

without any yoke or responsibility.

What “yoke” gives you meaning and direction?

Has your “yoke” become heavy and tiring?

Talk to Jesus.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

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The Parable of the Lost Sheep

Mt 18:12-14

[Jesus said to his disciples,] ¹²“What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? ¹³And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. ¹⁴In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”

He rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine. God’s ways are not our ways (cf Is 55:8). This parable of Jesus shows how.

We often think “democratically,” that is, in terms of the majority or greater number. God thinks in terms of the value of individuals (so much so that God cares for every sparrow that falls to the ground). We rejoice with those who are exemplary or outstanding. God’s great joy is in finding those considered lost, last, and least. We search for the good and we run after those with great potentials, while God pursues and looks for those who have sinned and have hurt themselves. We reward excellence; God rewards even the smallest step towards change and conversion. I am glad that God is not like us!

Look into yourself and see with whom you identify in the parable—with the lost or with the ninety-nine—and find out why.

“Love… does not brood over injury,

it does not rejoice over wrongdoing

but rejoices with the truth” (1 Cor 13:5-6).

Announcement of the Birth of Jesus

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Announcement of the Birth of Jesus

Lk 1:26-38

²⁶The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. ³²He 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, ³³and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” ³⁴But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” ³⁵And 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. ³⁶And 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; ³⁷for nothing will be impossible for God.” ³⁸Mary 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.

Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. We celebrate today the proclamation of Pope Pius IX who, on December 8, 1854, affirmed as a solemn dogma of our Christian faith the constant belief of the Church from ancient times that Mary, chosen Mother of the Savior, received the benefits of salvation through the merits of her Son Jesus… and she was conceived free from the stain of original sin. With this, the Pope explicates the deep and full meaning of Sacred Scriptures that describes Mary as “full of grace.”

Beyond this marvelous grace of God, the Gospel highlights how the Blessed Mother corresponds to the privilege given her by consistent and constant affirmation of herself as servant and instrument of the divine will. God initiated a big favor for her, and she magnifies (cf Lk 1:46) this favor with her continuing “yes.”

What personal favors has God given you,

even without your asking for them?

How are you corresponding

to God’s manifold graces for you?