The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us of our ongoing participation in the transformation of our environment through our “yes” to the prompting of the Spirit.
The reading from the Prophet Jeremiah foresees the Righteous Branch of David.
* [23:1–8] With the false rulers (shepherds) who have governed his people the Lord contrasts himself, the true shepherd, who will in the times of restoration appoint worthy rulers (vv. 1–4). He will provide a new king from David’s line who will rule justly, fulfilling royal ideals (vv. 5, 6). “The Lord our justice” is an ironic wordplay on the name of the weak King Zedekiah (“The Lord is justice”). Unlike Zedekiah, the future king will be true to the name he bears. Verses 7–8 may have been added during the exile. (Jeremiah, CHAPTER 23 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 72 is a prayer for Guidance and Support for the King.
* [Psalm 72] A royal Psalm in which the Israelite king, as the representative of God, is the instrument of divine justice (Ps 72:1–4, 12–14) and blessing (Ps 72:5–7, 15–17) for the whole world. The king is human, giving only what he has received from God. Hence intercession must be made for him. The extravagant language is typical of oriental royal courts. (Psalms, PSALM 72 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of Matthew describes events leading to the Birth of Jesus the Messiah.
* [1:19] A righteous man: as a devout observer of the Mosaic law, Joseph wished to break his union with someone whom he suspected of gross violation of the law. It is commonly said that the law required him to do so, but the texts usually given in support of that view, e.g., Dt 22:20–21 do not clearly pertain to Joseph’s situation. Unwilling to expose her to shame: the penalty for proved adultery was death by stoning; cf. Dt 22:21–23.
* [1:20] The angel of the Lord: in the Old Testament a common designation of God in communication with a human being. In a dream: see Mt 2:13, 19, 22. These dreams may be meant to recall the dreams of Joseph, son of Jacob the patriarch (Gn 37:5–11, 19). A closer parallel is the dream of Amram, father of Moses, related by Josephus (Antiquities 2, 9, 3; (par.) 212, 215–16).
* [1:21] Jesus: in first-century Judaism the Hebrew name Joshua (Greek Iēsous) meaning “Yahweh helps” was interpreted as “Yahweh saves.”
* [1:23] God is with us: God’s promise of deliverance to Judah in Isaiah’s time is seen by Matthew as fulfilled in the birth of Jesus, in whom God is with his people. The name Emmanuel is alluded to at the end of the gospel where the risen Jesus assures his disciples of his continued presence, “…I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20).
* [1:25] Until she bore a son: the evangelist is concerned to emphasize that Joseph was not responsible for the conception of Jesus. The Greek word translated “until” does not imply normal marital conduct after Jesus’ birth, nor does it exclude it. (Matthew, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)
Tom Lenz comments that it seems that our social norms are always focused on the ultimate outcomes and endpoints because they signify achievement and progress. But every outcome starts with an intentional moment. These moments seem to get overlooked and maybe even taken for granted as just part of our daily lives.
But, thinking about them further, this intentionality is as important as the outcome and maybe even more important. Take, for example, the moment when we say “Yes” to our partner to spend our lives together – or the moment before that moment when we say “Yes” to ourselves first. There is genuine intention toward the good at this moment. But those moments do not need to be significant life-changing moments. There are probably countless intentional moments in our daily lives, such as holding the door for a stranger, giving a smile to the store clerk, or allowing a car to merge in front of us. During those initial moments, the outcomes are yet unknown. But the intention toward the good is a holy moment in itself, regardless of the outcomes. This is a new and exciting way for me to think about Christmas. (Lenz, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “The righteous branch of David is Christ,” by Leo the Great, 400-461 A.D.
"There was only one remedy in the secret of the divine plan that could help the fallen living in the general ruin of the entire human race (Jeremiah 23:5-8). This remedy was that one of the sons of Adam should be born free and innocent of original transgression, to prevail for the rest by his example and by his merits. This was not permitted by natural generation. There could be no clean offspring from our faulty stock by this seed. The Scripture says, 'Who can make a clean thing conceived of an unclean seed? Isn't it you alone?' (Job 14:4) David's Lord was made David's Son, and from the fruit of the promised branch sprang. He is one without fault, the twofold nature coming together into one person. By this one and the same conception and birth sprung our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom was present both true Godhead for the performance of mighty works and true manhood for the endurance of sufferings." (excerpt from Sermon 28.3) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 1:18-25 comments that Joseph clearly loved Mary because he saw beyond the letter of the law. He also saw beyond his broken heart and bruised pride. Righteous man that he was, he saw a vulnerable young woman and chose the way of mercy—he decided to divorce her quietly. Even before the revelation that Mary had not, in fact, been adulterous, Joseph had already decided that her dignity, her life itself, was worth protecting.
Jesus is the righteous man foreshadowed by Joseph. He sees your sins and shortcomings, but he also sees the person he created in love, the person he still loves deeply. He fulfills the law by offering you forgiveness instead of condemnation, pardon instead of punishment. He has chosen to take you into his home and make you part of his family. What a gracious—and righteous—Savior we have!
“Jesus, Son of God and son of Joseph, thank you for seeing beyond my sins and right into my heart!” (Meditation on Matthew 1:18-25, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler notes the change in message of Jeremiah from condemnation to encouragement to Israel at the time of the exile in Babylon. The righteous person according to the Law would be able to have Mary stoned for her apparent transgression. Friar Jude notes how righteousness is redefined as compassion by Jesus. He traces the use of Matthew of the Greek translation of “virgin” in this text.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes the incarnational faith of Mary. Fr. Richard asks: How do we also give birth, as Mary did?
There is no mention of any moral worthiness, achievement, or preparedness in Mary, only humble trust and surrender. She gives us all, therefore, a bottomless hope in our own little place. If we ourselves try to “manage” God or manufacture our own worthiness by any perfection or performance principle whatsoever, we will never give birth to the Christ, but only more of ourselves. [2]
Whenever the material and the spiritual coincide, there is the Christ. Jesus fully accepted that human-divine identity and walked it into history. Henceforth, the Christ “comes again” whenever we are able to see the spiritual and the material coexisting, in any moment, in any event, and in any person. All matter reveals Spirit, and Spirit needs matter to “show itself”! What I like to call the “Forever Coming of Christ” happens whenever and wherever we allow this to be utterly true for us. This is how God continually breaks into history. [3] (Rohr, 2023)
We are grateful for the Spirit that reminds us to be open to initiation of truth, goodness, and love as we prioritize compassion and mercy in our daily encounters.
References
Jeremiah, CHAPTER 23 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/23?5
Lenz, T. (2023, December 18). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/121823.html
Matthew, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/1?18
Meditation on Matthew 1:18-25. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/12/18/850360/
Psalms, PSALM 72 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/72?1
Rohr, R. (2023, December 18). Saying Yes to Body and Spirit — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/saying-yes-to-body-and-spirit/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=dec18
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