December 18, Monday of the Fourth Week of Advent
Daily Readings: Jeremiah 23:5-8; Matthew 1:18-25
Prophet Jeremiah makes God’s plan known to the people of Israel. God will raise up a righteous Branch for David. God promises that at the arrival of that Branch, Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. Twice in four verses, we read the expression “The days are surely coming”.
The first time it refers to the birth of Jesus and the second time, it refers to the Lord’s act of making sure that the chosen people will reoccupy and live in their own land. That is restoration. Jesus’ birth will bring justice to the world. That is why the Psalmist in Ps 72 says that “Justice shall flourish in his time and fullness of peace forever”.
The Gospel narrative regarding the birth of Jesus tells us that the birth of the Messiah was not all that pleasant in the eyes of the world. Mary conceived Jesus with the power of the Holy Spirit and her righteous husband Joseph was not even aware of it. Being a man of integrity and righteousness, he planned to dismiss her quietly. God intervenes at the right time through an angel with an assurance and a mission. The assurance is: everything is happening according to the plan of God.
The mission is twofold. Joseph’s mission is to name the child as Jesus. Jesus’ mission is to save his people from their sins. The Gospel narrative ends saying that Joseph awoke from sleep and did exactly what the angel of the Lord commanded him. There is nothing better for us than to do the will of God at all times!
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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