Daily Retreat 12/17/08
2008 Dec 17 Wed: Advent Weekday (O Sapientia)
Gn 49:2. 8-10/ Ps 71(72):1-2. 3-4ab. 7-8. 17/ Mt 1:1-17
From today’s readings: “The scepter shall never depart from Judah.... In Him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed; all the nations shall proclaim His happiness.... Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary - from her was born Jesus, called the Christ.”
O Sapientia, O Wisdom!
A marked shift occurs today, December 17th, in the tone of the liturgical texts - as we begin the countdown week to Christmas, the scripture readings finally turn from texts recalling remote preparation to passages detailing the more immediate preparations for the birth of the Messiah.
This is most apparent in the Gospel readings: you may have noticed that all of the Advent Gospel readings until today (including yesterday’s!) have presented Jesus in His adult years. This may have seemed out-of-place, since Advent is the season of preparation for celebration of His birth. But there’s a simple explanation: there just are very few Gospel verses that treat of the time before the birth of Christ! So for the next week, the lectionary will systematically draw from the first chapter in Matthew, then in Luke, leading up to the verses that treat of the birth of Christ (which naturally, are saved for Christmas!).
While the Gospel passages will thus be sequential, the first readings will seem to jump around wildly, since they will be intentionally chosen to highlight an Old Testament prophecy that is fulfilled (or at least alluded to) in the Gospel. So, as the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel traces the genealogy of Jesus, the first reading recalls Jacob’s prophecy in Genesis that the tribe of Judah would be preeminent, for from his lineage would come the Messiah, the incarnation of Wisdom!
You might be tempted to skim quickly through the Lord’s genealogy presented at the beginning of the New Testament, but consider this: St. Matthew’s gospel begins with the phrase “The book of Genesis.” It’s translated different ways – some versions read “the book of genealogy of Jesus Christ,” some say “the family history,” because that’s the literal meaning of the Greek word Matthew chooses, “Genesis.” So the concept of family history is something that is fundamental in the Bible (at the beginning of both the Old and New Testament!), and that’s how we have to read everything that happens in the Bible – as family history! As something that applies to us and to all our ancestors, and will be just as important to those that come after us.
Gn 49:2. 8-10/ Ps 71(72):1-2. 3-4ab. 7-8. 17/ Mt 1:1-17
From today’s readings: “The scepter shall never depart from Judah.... In Him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed; all the nations shall proclaim His happiness.... Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary - from her was born Jesus, called the Christ.”
O Sapientia, O Wisdom!
A marked shift occurs today, December 17th, in the tone of the liturgical texts - as we begin the countdown week to Christmas, the scripture readings finally turn from texts recalling remote preparation to passages detailing the more immediate preparations for the birth of the Messiah.
This is most apparent in the Gospel readings: you may have noticed that all of the Advent Gospel readings until today (including yesterday’s!) have presented Jesus in His adult years. This may have seemed out-of-place, since Advent is the season of preparation for celebration of His birth. But there’s a simple explanation: there just are very few Gospel verses that treat of the time before the birth of Christ! So for the next week, the lectionary will systematically draw from the first chapter in Matthew, then in Luke, leading up to the verses that treat of the birth of Christ (which naturally, are saved for Christmas!).
While the Gospel passages will thus be sequential, the first readings will seem to jump around wildly, since they will be intentionally chosen to highlight an Old Testament prophecy that is fulfilled (or at least alluded to) in the Gospel. So, as the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel traces the genealogy of Jesus, the first reading recalls Jacob’s prophecy in Genesis that the tribe of Judah would be preeminent, for from his lineage would come the Messiah, the incarnation of Wisdom!
You might be tempted to skim quickly through the Lord’s genealogy presented at the beginning of the New Testament, but consider this: St. Matthew’s gospel begins with the phrase “The book of Genesis.” It’s translated different ways – some versions read “the book of genealogy of Jesus Christ,” some say “the family history,” because that’s the literal meaning of the Greek word Matthew chooses, “Genesis.” So the concept of family history is something that is fundamental in the Bible (at the beginning of both the Old and New Testament!), and that’s how we have to read everything that happens in the Bible – as family history! As something that applies to us and to all our ancestors, and will be just as important to those that come after us.
posted by FrPitstick | 12/15/2008
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