Monday of the Third Week of Advent
Intention: We pray for a faith-filled and transforming Christmastime for our world, one that fills us with peace, justice, and good will toward all.
Today’s Gospel | Matthew 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.
A Reflection for the Third Monday of Advent
The poet Emily Dickinson wrote, “The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience.” This certainly was so for the people of Jesus’ world. Through the scriptures, they could see God’s plan unfolding as it drew ever closer to what they saw as its fulfillment. After generations of watching and waiting, their readiness for his coming was woven into the fabric of their culture as each day was a ritual act of anticipation of the one who would overcome their pain and fill their emptiness. The word anticipation comes from the Latin anticipare, meaning “to give care to ahead of time.” The definition’s wording is significant, because it suggests that anticipation is not just abstractly wishing and waiting, but concretely expecting and preparing. In other words, anticipation is very much an act of faith, of viewing the world through eyes that can see not only what is present but also what is promised. To know what is really real, we must go beyond what we create for ourselves and enter into the truth that is God’s time and space. During Advent, we are challenged to free ourselves from the blindness of unbelief and to find our eyes of faith.
Prayer
Eternal Father, you call us to new life, new hope, new possibilities. In your Son, you challenge the ways that we close ourselves off from you and from each other. In the time of Advent, open our understanding to the value and purpose of all things, so that we do not diminish anyone or anything. May we be instruments of your compassion for persons we would rather ignore, and of your wisdom for experiences we would rather overlook. Make of us a humble and faith-filled people. We ask this of you who lives and reigns with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.