The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, December 17, 2003
Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent

[Today we begin the second stage in our Advent preparation for Christmas. In the eight days leading up to the Nativity, the liturgy uses a short prayer known as the "O Antiphon" as the Alleluia verse at the Advent Masses and also at Evening Prayer of the Divine Office.]

O Come,
Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love:
teach us to walk in the paths of knowledge.


Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Genesis 49:2,8-10
Psalm 72:1-4,7-8,17
Matthew 1:1-17

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

The family record of Jesus. . .

Today's Gospel raises the question: Why include this long genealogy? Such pedigrees were popular in Jesus' time to prove the purity of an individual's Jewish bloodline; those unable to prove this were labelled polluted, barred from holding office. This is one reason that Herod was so despised. What makes Jesus' genealogy particularly worthy of note is that it smashes all the conventions of His day.

Although Jesus' lineage proves He is David's descendant, it surprisingly includes three women the gender who then had no legal rights but were only considered their father's or husband's property. Rahab was known as a harlot of Jericho, Ruth was a Moabite, not a Jew and Bathsheba (Solomon's mother) had been seduced and widowed by King David. Jesus, then, becomes the universal Savior with all barriers to God and His salvation removed -- gender, nationality and sin.

Jesus comes to us in genuinely human flesh; conceived by the Holy Spirit in the body of a virgin. Christ's Spirit is then God's own Spirit of truth; therefore He is the one person who perfectly reflects the image of God to us. He is the personification of all of our heavenly Father's love, compassion and forgiveness toward us, His children. Jesus calls to us through His Holy Spirit's grace to participate in His Godly attributes, be transformed into the image of our Savior and bring Him into the world in our own flesh. If we so choose, Christ's birth enables us to be reborn in a holy, blessed life.

- Marie Bocko, ocds (mlbocko at borg dot com)

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posted by joachim at 5:40 AM