Daily Gospel Reflection for December 17, 2018

Today's Gospel: Matthew 1:1-17 Who is Jesus Christ, and what is His relationship to me? That question was pivotal to the writers of the Gospels; it is pivotal to every single person who reads or hears them. Matthew starts his Gospel with a genealogy of Christ. Starting with Abraham, he leads the reader through three fourteen-generation sections of Abrahamic and Davidic history. His audience has a shared culture, history and faith. Even before he tells them of the birth of Christ, he shows them their relationship to Christ and says, “Jacob, the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.” The promised One has come, he tells them – this is his story, this is your story. It is ours as well. For over thirty years, the hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel was my lifeline. It comforted me, it protected me, a silken strand, my only connection to that which I believed was not for me. A story for another day, perhaps. In 2007, my first Advent in church since I was a child, I cried through the entire Mass. Who is Jesus Christ, and what is His relationship to me? Today, in the Liturgy of the Hours, we begin to pray the O Antiphons: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel. During this final week of Advent, pray these Antiphons well and with each one ask yourself what each of these titles mean to you.

Ponder:

O Emmanuel, who are You to me – who am I to You?

Pray:

Adonai, Adonai! I hear You, I feel You - here - everywhere - always. Now, what can I do today to serve?

Copyright 2018 Annette K. Tenny Annette K Tenny is a freelance writer, a member of the Catholic Writers Guild and a frequent contributor to the Catholic News Herald, the Charlotte, NC diocesan newspaper. Receive CatholicMom.com newsletters in your inbox, including the Daily Gospel Reflection each morning! * indicates required