In The Beginning....

  

John 1: 1-18

The Word Became Flesh

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. ⁸ He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

⁹ The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ¹⁵ (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) ¹⁶ For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

We conclude the Octave of Christmas with the familiar Prologue of St. John, once the "Last Gospel" in the old Latin Rite. It sums up what we have been celebrating for the past week, the arrival of God as one of us, the Word made flesh, who made his dwelling with us, and who has given us the right to become children of God. This is the foundation of our faith and of our lives as followers on Jesus.  These 18 verses might be the perfect meditation for closing out the year, looking back, giving thanks, asking forgiveness and looking ahead with the hope and promise of doing better in 2022. This is a day not to be wasted  but to be savored as well as with pen  and paper, used to write a few concrete "resolutions" to which we can adhere  for the next 12 months.

Happy New Year.

Bro. Rene

 

Prayer and Patience Rewarded

 Luke 2: 36-40

Anna's Life of Prayer

³⁶ And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, ³⁷ and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸ And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

The Return to Nazareth

³⁹ And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

We sometimes grow impatient when our prayers are not answered.  A look at Anna's life is cause and motivation to  keep on praying  with patience and trust.  God is not deaf, God is not mean. He knows best how and when to answer our prayers.  With most of her life behind her, she kept to her regimen of prayer and fasting, and then, at the "eleventh hour", if you will, she had the answer to her prayers in her arms.  How good is the Good God!  May she continue her prayers for us who pray with so little faith, patience and trust!

Bro Rene

A Light For the Gentiles

 Luke 2 : 22-35

Jesus Presented in the Temple

²² When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”, ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
    and the glory of your people Israel.”

³³ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, ³⁵ so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

This passage of the Christmas story brings us to the presentation of Jesus in the temple, in fulfillment of  the Law and an incentive to us to take what we  have been given and present all to the Lord.  We we are to be light for others, we are too bring hope and joy,  to a sad, mixed up world by our presence and by our dedication to the 'THINGS OF GOD. May we continue to strive to put our gifts, talents and joy at the service of our families and our workplaces...Let the theme of Light for the world replay and replay in and through us.

Bro. Rene

The Holy Innocents

 

  Matthew 2: 13-18

The Flight into Egypt

¹³ Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

¹⁴ When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, ¹⁵ and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

Massacre of the Innocents

¹⁶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. ¹⁷ Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

¹⁸ “A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”

The slaughter of innocent children is always a shocker. When we picture this brutality complete with the sounds of horrified and hysterical mothers weeping over their children "for they were no more", it doesn't get any prettier.  We've just relived the "night of the dear Savior's birth" with the star hovering over the stable, the voices of angels singing "Glory to God in the Highest", and simple shepherds standing in awe and reverence before the Holy Child.  What a contrast today's picture poses.  And yet so true of our human condition where the lust for power and control, and fear of losing our security or the desire for dominance have been at the root of wars. revolutions and rampant brutality  for centuries.  Would that angels would warn us and help us find safety as they did with the Holy Family. This Gospel Passage might trigger in us a desire to work for the protection of the innocent, if not simply to pray for the end of such brutality.

Bro. Rene

The Beloved Disciple

 John 26: 1a, 2-8

Reflection: John 20:1a, 2-8

Feast of St John the Apostle - John 20:1a, 2-8

The Gospel today is a bit jarring after the readings we have heard in the past couple of days. This Gospel presents the scene that takes place right after Jesus’ crucifixion. It is the scene where Mary Magdalene comes running to Peter and John and tells them that someone has taken Jesus’ body from the tomb. Mary panics because Jesus’ body has disappeared!

Have you ever experienced a time in your life when Jesus seems to have disappeared? A time when you felt the absence of Jesus in your life? These times can be very dark and frightening. We may feel lost and alone. This experience may be brief or it may go on for days or weeks. How do we respond to this “felt loss” of Jesus’ presence? Do we panic and search for Him? Or do we trust that we once again will experience His presence? Are we able to stay grounded in Jesus’ love for us? Or do we give up and walk away?

In my life, when I experience the absence of Jesus, I usually come to understand that I am the one who has wandered away---not Jesus! And even if this is not the case for you, are we willing to stand firm and wait for Jesus to come? Can we wait peacefully, trusting that Jesus is with us? Or can we imitate Peter’s response to Jesus’ seeming absence? Are we able to see and believe---and trust that Jesus is with us?

May we pray for the grace to know that Jesus will not abandon us!

Note: Time is forcing me to invite Sister Kristine as our guest contributor today. 

Bro. Rene

The Importance of Family

  

Luke 2: 41-52

The Boy Jesus in the Temple

⁴¹ Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. ⁴² And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. ⁴³ And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, ⁴⁴ but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, ⁴⁵ and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” ⁴⁹ And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” ⁵⁰ And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. ⁵¹ And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

No sooner have we celebrated the Birth of Jesus, we now, and fittingly,  honor his immediate family, his mother, Mary and foster father, Joseph. and, of course, Jesus himself.  A family dedicated to one another, faithful in the practice of their faith, and open to the will of God. They were not wealthy and had to work hard to earn enough to live.  Joseph had to travel to find enough work to earn a living, and eventually Jesus accompanied him.  What a bond must have grown between them!  Mary provided a warm, loving home for her "two boys", so often the case with families today. Yes, we have a model family held up to us for imitation.  Even  when there was friction, as when Jesus disappeared "to do his Father's will", the breach was not permanent, and life and growth continued.so that Jesus grew in wisdom as well as age. May we today express gratitude to one another as we continue our family gatherings and may we learn to follow the example set by the Holy famliy

Bro  Rene

The Day Is Here

 Luke 2: 1-14

The Birth of Jesus Christ

2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ And all went to be registered, each to his own town. ⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. ⁶ And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸ And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰ And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” ¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Our Advent Days of Preparation have brought us to THIS DAY, a blessed day, a day of JOY, FAMILY, GIFTS, MIDNIGHT MASS, SPLENDID MUSIC, PEACE AND PRESENCE..  Yes, the Son of God is present among us, as we are present to our families and friends, many  of whom we haven't seen for a good while, and because of the virus, many we will only be present to via phone, zoom or Skype. How can we best celebrate the marvel of God becoming ONE OF US?  How about GRATITUDE?  So many have been involved with us day in and day out, just being there with and for us.  It's time to express our gratitude for their help, presence and love.  Our lists can go on and on, but above all, let us remember to THANK GOD for his loving care and presence among us.Thanks to his constant love a MERRY CHRISTMAS IS OURS, despite Covid-19 and its variants.  THANK YOU and MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL SUBSCRIBERS TO BROTHER RENE'S DAILY BREAD.

Bro. Rene

Let Us Be John For Our Day

 Luke 1: 67-79

Zechariah’s Prophecy

⁶⁷ Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:

⁶⁸ “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
    for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
⁶⁹ He has raised up a mighty savior for us
    in the house of his servant David,
⁷⁰ as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
⁷¹     that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
⁷² Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,
    and has remembered his holy covenant,
⁷³ the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
    to grant us ⁷⁴ that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, ⁷⁵ in holiness and righteousness
    before him all our days.
⁷⁶ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
⁷⁷ to give knowledge of salvation to his people
    by the forgiveness of their sins.
⁷⁸ By the tender mercy of our God,
    the dawn from on high will break upon us,
⁷⁹ to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Zechariah's Song of Praise flushes out the plan that had been slowly unfolding since the Fall.  God had no intentions of allowing his beloved children made in his image and likeness to be separated from him permanently, but in his unlimited kindness and compassion devised, if you will, Plan B. It took awhile but John would be the one to announce the arrival of the ONE who would fulfill this plan. Each generation needs to hear about the plan and accept it.  Currently, there's a great ignorance of it, and a great drift away from it, as we read about the growing number of "Nones" in this country alone. They just don't know the depth, the beauty, the joy that it gives.  Santa and gift-giving have replaced Jesus and his Gift of the true way to be fully human and live the Plan God has so painstakingly laid out for us.  May we rededicate ourselves not to only living the plan so that others can see it, but to reach out to them and gift them with it.What a Christmas this could then be for them and for us!

Bro. Rene

Following God's Ways

 :

Luke 1: 57-66

The Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷ When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

⁵⁹ On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, ⁶⁰ but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

⁶¹ They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

⁶² Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. ⁶³ He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” ⁶⁴ Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. ⁶⁵ All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. ⁶⁶ Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

Not only was John the Baptist a "Miracle Baby", born of a mother called "barren" for so song, but receiving the name John, instead of his father's name, Zechariah, was a second sign that this was no ordinary baby, but one destined for a unique mission in life;  And so it was; John the Baptist. chosen by God to prepare the way for his Son, Jesus.  It all makes sense to us now, but at the time, all was not so evident.

So often in our lives we are confronted with the unusual, the unorthodox, and find ourselves making choices we never expected.  Following God's plan often takes us to places we never expected or doing things we never thought possible.Walking with God often takes us down unique paths created just for us; we can balk and claim, "this is not for me", or "it's too hard", or like Mary, Zechariah, John and so many others, we can follow the call, break with tradition, and make our unique contribution to the building of God's kingdom. May we learn from this passage to be open to God's plan, even though it seems so strange and impossible to us. God's ways are not our ways.  

Bro. Rene   

 

Focus on God

 

 Luke 1: 46-56

Mary’s Song

⁴⁶ And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
⁴⁷     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
⁴⁹     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.

 
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Having been greeted and honored by her cousin, Elizabeth, as "blessed among women", Mary turns the spotlight away from her and shines the light on the God who created her, chose her, and is indeed a mighty God who has done "great things" for her. He can do and does great things for us according to his plan, as a review of our life, or even the review of the current day before we go to sleep reveals.  Even a so-called "bad day"has its redeeming moments if we look for the hand of God in it.  What has he taught us about himself?  About ourselves?  How has he blessed us?  What and how many good things has he done for us?  If we focus on God's part in our lives, as Mary did, we can join her with our own Magnificat. Let's take some time to pray this song of praise as if it were our own.

Bro. Rene 

Staying Focused

Luke 1: 39-45

Mary and Elizabeth

³⁹ In those days Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah, ⁴⁰ and entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² She exclaimed with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child in your womb! ⁴³ And who am  that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me? ⁴⁴ For the instant the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.  And blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

We have been given almost a full fourth week of Advent to aid our reflection on the events leading up to the birth of Jesus, and for our own preparation for it.  Have we been able to keep focused, or has shopping, cooking, traveling or, God forbid, fruitless distractions on the internet taken up our time and hindered our Advent plan? What can I do today and in the days ahead to save it?  Dear God, help me to stay on the "Advent Track" that will lead me to a True Christmas.

Bro Rene

 

 

 

Mary's Courage

Note...From the human side again...I forgot I had an appointment this morning when I usually post our slice of bread, so this might appear later on Monday or on Tuesday.

  

Luke 1: 26-38

Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary

²⁶ Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; ^[a]blessed are you among women!”

²⁹ But ^[b]when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. ³⁰ Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. ³³ And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

³⁴ Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I ^[c]do not know a man?”

³⁵ And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. ³⁷ For with God nothing will be impossible.”

³⁸ Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

This Gospel appears many times during the  Liturgical Year and is most fitting here in this fourth week of Advent as we approach its fulfillment in the birth of Jesus. We now await the full establishment of the kingdom, and it seems that will come far down the road...a long road, indeed!  We can help with our own personal preparation and with our on-going announcement of it through our faith hope and loving living what Jesus taught us: love God, love  neighbor. It's easy to put into a short, catchy sentence, but much harder to put into practice. Mary's simple and courageous gesture of accepting Gabriel's invitation might give us a clue to what we can and must do.Mary, give us the grace we need to believe more deeply and act more courageously as you did.

Bro. Rene

Blessed Are You

  

 Luke 1: 39-45

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Today's Gospel contains the familiar greeting we pray ever so frequently in the "Hail, Mary":  "Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb" (or in this version, "blessed is the child you will bear.:") Both Elizabeth and the child in her womb, (John), recognized the Divine Presence in Mary's womb, and her special calling to be the "God-Bearer. What fitting material for our meditation not only today, but for the week prior to Christmas.  May we call to mind this Presence as we frantically shop, bake, decorate, and write Christmas cards...all pre-Christmas pre-requisites, yes, but not as essential as recognizing the Gift of the Son of God as one of us.  Elizabeth did, so can we.

Bro. Rene

The Strong, Silent Joseph

  

Matthew 3: 18-25

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[d] (which means “God with us”).

²⁴ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. ²⁵ But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

During the Year of Joseph, which concluded on December 8, we have reflected on this man of silent strength, whose obedience to the Father's Will and dedication to his mission as foster father and protector have motivated us to assume those roles more wholeheartedly in our families and communities. The less we say, and the more we DO, speak volumes and have a lasting effect.  Let's not only GO TO JOSEPH, as the hymn urges us, but more so, LET US BE LIKE JOSEPH.

Bro. Rene

 

The Family of Jesus

  

Matthew 1: 1-17

The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah

1 This is the genealogy^[ of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:

² Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

³ Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,

Perez the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

⁴ Ram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

⁵ Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,

Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,

Obed the father of Jesse,

⁶ and Jesse the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,

⁷ Solomon the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah,

Abijah the father of Asa,

⁸ Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,

Jehoram the father of Uzziah,

⁹ Uzziah the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

¹⁰ Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah,

¹¹ and Josiah the father of Jeconiah^[c] and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

¹² After the exile to Babylon:

Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

¹³ Zerubbabel the father of Abihud,

Abihud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

¹⁴ Azor the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Akim,

Akim the father of Elihud,

¹⁵ Elihud the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob,

¹⁶ and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.

¹⁷ Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah.

Most of the names in Matthew's Genealogy mean nothing to us, as do the names of our grandparents and great grandparents of people outside the family, but to the Hebrews at  the time of Jesus, as with people of other countries,, "the family tree" is very important, situating the descendants and giving them credibility. Matthew's 3-fold 14 generation list gives Jesus a family base and connection to his "father in the faith", Abraham.  We as Christians, in a sense, the offspring of Jesus, can thus trace our family history back to Abraham as well. Yes, we can go past our grandfathers and great grandfathers with Jesus to Abraham.  May we treasure our ancestry, not take it for granted and pass on our family legacy to our offspring.  

Bro. Rene

The Messenger

 Luke 7: 24-30

Who Did You Go To See?

²⁴ After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ²⁵ If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. ²⁶ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ²⁷ This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way before you.’^[a]

²⁸ I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

²⁹ (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

Jesus had great respect for his cousin John and affirmed his mission as the one who would prepare his way.  John lived an ascetic life and pushed attention from himself to Jesus.  He was humble, yet forceful, clear about who he was and what he was called to do.  A leader, a "people mover."  Would that he were alive and active today!  Yet he can be, if we take on the role given to us at Baptism: to be living Christs in our present world, to be leaders attracting others to Christ.  May we embrace this role with the bravery, audacity and courage of John.

Bro. Rene 

I AmThe Lord

Is 45: 6c-8, 18, 21b-23 

The Reign of the Messiah

so that they may know, from the rising of the sun
    and from the west, that there is no one besides me;
    I am the Lord, and there is no other.
⁷ I form light and create darkness,
    I make weal and create woe;
    I the Lord do all these things.

⁸ Shower, O heavens, from above,
    and let the skies rain down righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation may spring up,^[a]
    and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also;
    I the Lord have created it.

For thus says the Lord,
who created the heavens
    (he is God!),
who formed the earth and made it
    (he established it;
he did not create it a chaos,
    he formed it to be inhabited!):
I am the Lord, and there is no other. 

²¹ Declare and present your case;
    let them take counsel together!
Who told this long ago?
    Who declared it of old?
Was it not I, the Lord?
    There is no other god besides me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
    there is no one besides me.

²² Turn to me and be saved,
    all the ends of the earth!
    For I am God, and there is no other.
²³ By myself I have sworn,
    from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness
    a word that shall not return:
“To me every knee shall bow,
    every tongue shall swear.”

²⁴ Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me,
    are righteousness and strength;
all who were incensed against him
    shall come to him and be ashamed.
²⁵ In the Lord all the offspring of Israel
    shall triumph and glory.

Luke 7: 18b-23

Jesus and John the Baptist

¹⁸ John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, ¹⁹ he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

²⁰ When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

²¹ At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. ²² So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy^[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. ²³ Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

These two passages, written centuries apart, describe the essentials of the Messianic Era:  "I am the Lord."  Jesus is the ONE foretold by Isaiah and John the Baptist.  Long predicted, long anticipated, he finally made his appearance.  Yet, we sometimes act as if he never came.  Our world today is in dire need of his presence his teaching, his recognition.  Advent is calling us to welcome him and change our lives to meet his new standards. Let us respond with enthusiasm and confidence that despite our feeble success in recognizing him or living up to his standards,, he is still there for us!

Bro. Rene

 

 

Believe and Do

 

 

The Parable of the Two Sons

²⁸ “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

²⁹ “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

³⁰ “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

³¹ “Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. ³² For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Where do I stand?  Am I a "talker" or a "doer"?  Do I believe and do? or just talk?  Talk is easy, but doing requires "guts".  If I find myself full of words and snort on action, Jesus is talking to me.

Bro. Rene

Let There Be Light

 

Matthew 21: 23-27

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

²³ And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” ²⁴ Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. ²⁵ The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ ²⁶ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” ²⁷ So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

We celebrate the Memorial of St. Lucy, a huge day of joy in Sweden, their darkest, shortest day, which causes them to show their longing for light with elaborate, special foods, and the honoring of St. Lucy (Lux, light in Latin...Lucia, Lucy) and the "presence" of St. Lucy with a crown of burning candles.This Gospel passage really is separate from the festivities but reminds us that if we do not acknowledge and accept Jesus, but remain apart from him, we will always live in darkness. As with the chief priests and elders we have a choice. Let's make the right one.

Bro. Rene