Daily Gospel Reflection for September 8, 2021

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Reflection by Lyn Francisco

Today's Gospel: Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Mt 1:1-16, 18-23

For the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it seems appropriate that today’s Gospel centers on both the genealogy and the birth of Jesus Christ. Back on the date we now commemorate as the Feast of the Annunciation, Mary had given her “yes” to God when she was informed that she would bear a son (Lk 1:26-38). We are reminded of this when the angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream and tells him not to worry about scandal — because of Mary’s “yes” to God, she was with child and would name him in accordance to what God had said through the prophet (1:22-23).

For those mathematically inclined, the genealogy mentioned at the beginning of this Gospel reading (1:1-16) spans an amazing 40 generations. (There’s that number 40, a biblically important number - think 40 days in Noah’s ark, 40 days wandering in the desert, Jesus’ 40 days and 40 nights in the Judaean Desert, etc.)

Admittedly, I usually feel inclined to skip reading the beginning of Matthew because it’s just a bunch of names… but is it just a bunch of names? We see Abraham and David in Jesus’ genealogy. They are two important figures in the story of God’s creation and the redemption of the people of Israel. Recall from the Magnificat that the Lord “has helped Israel his servant… according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever” (Lk 1:54-55). And then to David, the Lord told him, “Your own offspring I will set upon your throne” (Ps 132:11). This points the way to the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, as dictated by Scripture.

Ponder:

Abraham, David, Mary, and Joseph said “yes” to God in their own ways. In what ways have you said your own “yes” to God?

Pray:

Gracious God, help us to follow the examples of Abraham, David, Mary, and Joseph as their “yes” to You have led us to Christ. Open our minds and hearts that we, too, may be open to Your will as these who have come before Christ have been. Amen.

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I usually feel inclined to skip reading the beginning of Matthew because it’s just a bunch of names… but is it just a bunch of names? #dailygospel

Copyright 2021 Lyn Francisco

Lyn Francisco is an organist and chemist by training and education. When she is not at the lab bench, she occupies an organ bench in churches around Durham, NC. She also serves as cantor at Immaculate Conception Church in Durham.