Jeremiah 23:5-8, Psalm 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19, Matthew 1:18-25

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Jeremiah 23:5-8, Psalm 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19, Matthew 1:18-25

Jeremiah 23:5-8

My Beloved, all the Scripture readings leading up to Christmas day are building up momentum as it crescendos to hush and still with awe on that day when God the awesome God permits Himself to become a little human Baby. The stump of Jesse springs forth to Life, a descendant from the royal line of David will carry in her virginal womb the Son of God and the Son of Man and bring Him into the world. She will lay the Hope of the world in a manger made of straw. She and Joseph along with shepherd and wise men together with heaven will look upon the Righteousness of  God who brings is Peace and Justice. This little Baby will bring together all people of goodwill. All those who were in exile will come home to the city of God. They will climb up Mount Zion and there we will worship the Living God who came into the world to die so we can live.

Psalm 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19

My Beloved, everytime we are tempted to sit in judgment on someone may we recall that God has appointed You both King and Judge for You alone can rule the world with fairness for You are sinless and righteous. You came into the world to ensure that those the world has ostracized, marginalized, pushed between the cracks, ignores and even pretends that they either do not exist or exist only to ensure that they keep their status, wealth and power. It is for these that You came – for the sick, the broken hearted, those who are lost, the flotsam and jetsam of the world. You bring hope to those who believed that all hope had fled. You came to restore life to the dead, to show sinners the way to be forgiven and begin anew. You came to reveal the passionate, personal love of the Father for us. 

We praise You Beloved, for Your great love. We praise Your holy and most glorious Name here on earth as it is praised ceaselessly in heaven. Thank You for filling the earth with Your glory at Your coming. 

Matthew 1:18-25

My Beloved, wouldn’t it be great if all of us were upright like St. Joseph and did not want to discredit anyone but seek instead to do right by them even if we feel betrayed. Just before Christmas the Church invites us to contemplate the events that took place long, long ago when Mary who was betrothed to Joseph had conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. She was silent, gave no defense of herself perhaps she was unwilling to put into words this extraordinary work that God had begun in her for she knew that she would be thought mad by making such unbelievable claims that God Himself had taken flesh in her womb. For man this was inconceivable, ludicrous even. So she did was great wisdom always does – she was silent trusting that God would protect the Treasure that lay in secret within her.

Even as St. Joseph was thinking of ways of separating from Mary so she would suffer least and without shame or loss of dignity, God sends the Archangel Gabriel to assure him that neither his love for Mary nor his trust in her was misplaced. Only God could speak of this, of God Himself choosing Mary to be the Mother of God and thus commencing the great work of the salvation of the world. God could through the power of His Spirit be conceived and be born as a Baby for nothing is impossible with God.

St. Joseph that great Saint of exquisite silence woke up and acted upon God’s will without fuss or delay. God had chosen him of all the men of Israel to watch over, protect, love and live all the years of his remaining years on earth in the close intimacy with His only Son and His fairest, purist, chaste and most beautiful daughter of all Mary. His silence only serves to portray his profound awe at the privilege that God chose him, thought him worthy for so great a mission.

Dearest St. Joseph, your silence teaches us much more than words ever could. Pray for us that we may strive to imitate you and we will surely be pleasing to God.