REFLECTIONS TODAY
It is good to reflect on God’s unconditional love on the second day of our Misa de Gallo. Today’s Gospel gives the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Intending to show the continuity of his Gospel from the Old Testament, Matthew uses the so-called tōle dōt or “generations” formula. Tōle dōt tells of the line of covenanted people. Covenant is basically understood as an agreement between two parties. A covenant normally depends on the faithfulness of both parties, which is conditional. However, the Gospel begins by identifying Jesus as the son of David and the son of Abraham. This identification emphasizes not only Jesus’ humanity, but also God’s unconditional love, highlighted by the respective promises to David (2 Sm 7:15) and to Abraham (Gn 12:2-3). Do we recognize the fact that we belong to God’s covenanted people? While God’s love remains unconditional, are we trying our best to live as faithfully as possible the life proper to a covenanted people? What concrete response can we make to show that we truly treasure and value God’s unconditional love?
Gospel • Matthew 1:1-17
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... 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... 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.
Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Christ, fourteen generations.
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” St. Pauls, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.