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Tuesday, December 17, 2019

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Glimmers of New Beginnings

"By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn will break over us from above, to enlighten those who sit under the dark shadow of death, and to guide our feet onto the way of peace." —Luke 1:78-79

Are you ready to welcome the glimmer of new beginnings?

With fresh fires and Christmas lights,
we mark the darkest days of the rolling year,
and call to mind how everything and everyone starts in the dark.

Dark days augur alienation and danger
yet darkness also draws us together;
a time for dimming our lights so we can see the stars.

This sacred season of birth pangs and beginnings
offers time to lovingly look back
over a year of gifts, of losses, and of lessons.

—from the book Wandering and Welcome: Meditations for Finding Peace by Joseph Grant

MorningOffering.com

† Saint Quote
"Upon receiving Holy Communion, the Adorable Blood of Jesus Christ really flows in our veins and His Flesh is really blended with ours."
— St. John Vianney

† MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"The works of her, who was to be the Mother of the God-man, were altogether and in every way most perfect, and even to understand them exceeds the capacity of all human creatures and of the angels. Her interior acts of the virtues were so precious and of such great merit and favor, that they surpass all that the seraphim can do . . . But it is my Will, that during thy pilgrimage in thy mortal body thou place most holy Mary as the beginning of thy joy, and that thou follow her through the desert of renunciation and abnegation of all that is human and visible. Follow her by a perfect imitation according to the measure of thy strength and of the light which thou receivest. Let her be thy guiding star and thy Directress: she will manifest to thee my Will and will let thee find my holy law which is written in her by the power of my right hand: meditate upon it day and night."
— Ven. Mary of Agreda, p. 87
AN EXCERPT FROM
Mystical City of God

† VERSE OF THE DAY
"Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, 'I will never leave you or forsake you.' So we can say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?'"
Hebrews 13:4-6

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ST. JOHN OF MATHA

St. John of Matha (1154-1213) was born near Provence, France to noble and pious parents, and was dedicated to God from his birth. He learned the arts of a nobleman and advanced in Christian virtue, tending the sick and giving alms to the poor. Through his study of theology at the University of Paris he discerned a call to Holy Orders and became a priest. On the day of his first Mass he had a vision which encouraged him to devote his life to ransom Christians who had been captured by Muslims and forced into slavery. After time spent in prayer and fasting, he went to Rome to gain the Pope's approval for a new religious order dedicated to this purpose. Pope Innocent III deliberated and ordered a fast, afterwards concluding that John's mission was inspired by God. He gave his approval for the foundation of the Order of the Holy Trinity, or the Hospitaler Order of the Most Holy Trinity and of Captives (Trinitarians). The habit of the order, a white scapular with a two-toned blue and red cross on the chest, was chosen according to what St. John saw in his vision. St. John of Matha and the Trinitarians collected alms and traveled to Moor-controlled areas, ransoming and encouraging many Christian captives. His feast day is December 17.
See More Patron Saints >

Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent
Lectionary: 193

Reading 1 Gn 49:2, 8-10

Jacob called his sons and said to them:
"Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob,
listen to Israel, your father.

"You, Judah, shall your brothers praise
–your hand on the neck of your enemies;
the sons of your father shall bow down to you.
Judah, like a lion's whelp,
you have grown up on prey, my son.
He crouches like a lion recumbent,
the king of beasts–who would dare rouse him?
The scepter shall never depart from Judah,
or the mace from between his legs,
While tribute is brought to him,
and he receives the people's homage."

Responsorial Psalm Ps 72:1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17

R.(see 7) Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
The mountains shall yield peace for the people,
and the hills justice.
He shall defend the afflicted among the people,
save the children of the poor.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love:
come to teach us the path of knowledge!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel 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 Christ.

Thus 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 Christ,
fourteen generations.

Meditation: Matthew 1:1-17

3rd Week of Advent

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 1:1)

What's your story? Discover your roots! Claim your heritage! Maybe you've seen similar advertisements for DNA-based ancestry tests. It's easy to see why these tests are surging in popularity: we like to know where—and whom—we come from. It's fascinating to see how our story links up with historical events. It's also exciting to see if our DNA reveals some unexpected plot twists or links to people we never expected.

If we were to approach today's Gospel reading in this way, what first seems like a long, dull list of names can turn into an intriguing treasure hunt. These people—all of them—are part of your own spiritual ancestry! Their DNA lives in you and can reveal long-forgotten secrets of your heritage.

This is Jesus' ancestral tree. You may not be biologically related to any of these men and women, but that doesn't change anything. Remember, you have been grafted into the body of Christ. He is your brother, and you are now part of his family. That means that his past is your past as well.

So just what does Matthew reveal about your heritage?

First, you have a heritage of faith. Some names are familiar: Abraham. Jacob. Joseph. Mary. You may recall their stories and marvel at the opposition they endured as they strove to stay faithful to God. You may want to celebrate their lives just as you might cherish the memories of your grandparents. You may also want to celebrate the fact that their faith flows in you—they can teach you how to believe and trust in God.

Second, you have a heritage of mercy. Like any family tree, this one has some surprises. Think of Rahab, the "woman of the night" who came to faith and became a forebear of Jesus. Think of Ruth, the unlikely foreigner. Even King David had a checkered history. God's mercy was big enough to cover them all. And it's big enough to cover you.

Of course, the story doesn't end with you. It keeps unfolding—in your children's lives and in the people that you touch. You could say it's a never-ending inheritance of grace!

"Lord, thank you for bringing me into the family of God."

Genesis 49:2, 8-10
Psalm 72:1-4, 7-8, 17

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Golden bowls of incense . . . remind us that incense is to help us focus on joining our prayers with the prayers of the saints in heaven. . . . [It] isn't just aesthetics, it's sacramentality.

—Scott Hahn from The End

my2cents:
"Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob, listen to Israel, your father."

"May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever."

The lineage of our Lord and our God began to be traced to Abraham.
How many years was it to Adam?
How long did it take to fall from Paradise? And how long till we achieve paradise? Not utopia, but Heaven? Our Lord made it available today.

The lineage has been fulfilled in your hearing. Now, He extends Himself out.
And in He lets us in....fully open, fully wide, poured out for you completely.
And that is how we are to live to Him. Open wide, and crucified.

Here I am Lord.
I come to do YOUR Will

hear it read

Random Bible Verse 1

Zephaniah 3:17
17 The LORD your God is in your midst,

a mighty one who will save;

he will rejoice over you with gladness;

he will quiet you by his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing.

Thank You Lord

For questions or comments contact Adrian@going4th.com. For more go to www.Going4th.com

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