MY daily reflection and prayer:
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time
Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Dear my friends,
Here is the Gospel for us today according to St. Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23
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. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
***
TODAY is Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Jesus’ Mother. So it means that we celebrate Mother Mary’s birthday. Let’s give her loving greeting, “Happy birthday Mom!” Yes, Mother Mary is our mother too because she has born a son and she is to name him Jesus who will save us, his people from our sins as proclaimed today’s Gospel.
Thanks be to God who grants us a humble Mom, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Indeed, God raises up the lowly for Mary devotes herself entirely to God. Even, he asked her to bear his Son, Jesus. So today we commemorate also God who has created his masterpiece, the Immaculate Conception.
In the Perpetual Adoration of the Eucharist, while adoring Jesus Christ we thank to God who takes what is good and beautiful and makes it exceedingly so for the salvation of many. There we learn from Mother Mary, our Mom, to devote ourselves entirely to God. Do we devote ourselves totally to God like Mother Mary?
Let’s pray: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you because you humbly inserts yourself into our defective human lineage. Help us to remember today all the good things you have given us and our family. Help us to become more like Mary, and to ponder over all these things in our heart now and forever. Amen.
Kredit foto: Ilustrasi (Ist)
