MARY AND JOSEPH WERE DESTINED FOR THEIR ROLES IN SALVATION HISTORY.

THE PREDESTINATION OF JOSEPH AND MARY. 

"This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. 

"When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.

"She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

"Which means “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus." (Matthew 1: 18 - 25).

Wednesday December 18th, 3rd Week of Advent. Weekday (O Adonai). 

The Gospel of today on how the Birth of Jesus came about is a familiar one. This Gospel reveals the Predestination of Mary and Joseph. The roles that Mary and Joseph played in salvation history were not arbitrary. Every step, every moment was predestined according to God's mighty, merciful and mysterious Providence. There are no accidents in life or in the world. Everything is Providence. 

Our lives too are governed by the same sovereign Design, Plan, Purpose and Providence of the all-powerful and loving God who prefers to be called Father. 

During the remaining days of the Advent Season and throughout the Christmas Season, reflect often on God's mighty, merciful and mysterious Providence directing you step by step and moment by moment. It sounds too good to be true. Brethren, it is the Absolute Truth! The all good and faithful Providence of God is directing your steps to your final destination, Heaven! Every step, every detour in this Plan is according to His Plan. 

"Mary was conceived without original sin. This grace and privilege are fitting in view of the birth and death of her Son Jesus Christ, who is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. 

"O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You."

For the Immaculate Conception Devotions and Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/novena-to-immaculate-conception.html

THE 31 DAY NOVENA TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/31-day-novena-to-immaculate-conception.html?m=1

THE FAMILY LINE OF THE SON OF MAN - JESUS THE CHRIST.

THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS CHRIST. 

For the Evangelist St Matthew, Jesus Christ is the Son of David and and is truly the Messiah promised by God. 

"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. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the ­father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. 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. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. 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." (Matthew 1: 1 - 2 & 15 - 16).

Tuesday 17th December 2024 of the 3rd Week of Advent. From 17th December, we are one week to the Eve of Christmas Day. The Church starts singing the O - Antiphons. 

Pay attention to the readings at Mass.

Do you consider the Genealogy of Jesus Christ boring? Not when you understand the purpose for its inclusion in Sacred Scriptures. The Holy Spirit, the Author of the Sacred Text does not waste words as human authors do. Here are a few reasons for the Genealogy or Family History of Jesus Christ:

#1 Jesus Christ is truly God and truly Man. He descended from the lines of Abraham and David.

#2 His human family is not perfect (like His Church is not perfect). It contains saints and sinners. Jesus was not ashamed of His family nor was He ever tempted to deny them.

#3 His family lineage was planned by God from the foundation of the ages. So do not be scandalized by what you see. Same story with your family line. 

#4 By the time Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, gone were the days of the great patriarchs like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and great kings like David and Solomon. What we have are common folks like Joseph and Mary. God has a plan that will lead us to the humble stable in Bethlehem where Jesus will be born, the King of the Jews. He will be born the poor son of the Virgin of Nazareth.

The Genealogy teaches us that God is merciful and faithful. God did not choose the best and filtered humanity. He chose whom He pleases, a mixed bag.

"God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure." (Ephesians I: 5 NLT)

God had decreed that the Redeemer will come out of real humanity.

“The deliverer will come out of Zion, he will turn away godlessness from Jacob;

and this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” (Romans 11: 26 - 27).

"In respect to election, they are beloved because of the patriarchs.  For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable."  (Romans 11: 28 - 29).

Again: "The gift and the call of God are irrevocable." Amen!

The Church teaches that it will arrive at its perfection in the Escathon, the End of the age.  As we make our pilgrimage towards our home, the Church labors to grow in the fullness of truth and charity.  Each life committed to Christ hastens the Second Coming.

"O Wisdom of our God Most High,

guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!" 

Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus! 

"Such a man was Saint Joseph. He was the living image of My Father, and he was chosen by My Father to be a father to Me in My sacred humanity. Let My priests go to Saint Joseph. He will obtain for them this priceless gift of spiritual fatherhood, and he will guide them in the delicate and difficult work of being true fathers to souls." (IN SINU JESU, Friday, November 15, 2013).

Mary was conceived without original sin. This grace and privilege are fitting in view of the birth and death of her Son Jesus Christ, who is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. 

"O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You."

For the Immaculate Conception Devotions and Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/novena-to-immaculate-conception.html

THE 31 DAY NOVENA TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/31-day-novena-to-immaculate-conception.html?m=1

ALL AUTHORITY COMES FROM GOD.

WHO GAVE YOU THE AUTHORITY TO ACT LIKE THIS? 

“When Jesus had come into the temple area,

the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him

as he was teaching and said,

“By what authority are you doing these things? 

And who gave you this authority?”

Jesus said to them in reply,

“I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me,

then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things. 

Where was John’s baptism from?

Was it of heavenly or of human origin?” 

"They discussed this among themselves and said,

“If we say ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say to us,

‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 

But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd,

for they all regard John as a prophet.” 

So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” 

He himself said to them,

“Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (Matthew 21: 23 - 27).

Monday 16th of December of the 3rd week of Advent.

A confrontation between the chief priests and elders with Jesus over Authority is the chance to reflect on the nature of authority.

Consider the following facts:

The kingdom that Jesus came to set up has some commonalities with earthly kingdoms. For example :

1. Kingship. 

2. Realm/domain 

3. Government and administration. 

4. Laws 

5. Citizens 

When Jesus threw out the money changers from the Temple, the recognized authorities of the Temple questioned naturally His authority for the action. 

"Where was John’s baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?” By this question, Jesus points the chief priests and elders the existence of a different type of authority. Moral authority. 

In the trial of the Apostles Peter and John before the Sanhedrin, we see the Rabbi Teacher Gamaliel allude to a different authority:

"So now I tell you, have nothing to do with these men, and let them go. For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself.  But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him." (Acts 5: 38 - 39).

God is the source of all authority on earth. Examples: Parental authority, military and government authority all come from God. 

Jesus being God has inherent authority. 

The Kingdom of God is already here and now. The Church is the seed of that Kingdom. 

Where does the Pope get his authority? Not from the barrels of the gun as some dictators believe. Stalin quipped:  "How many military divisions does the Pope have?"

Jesus answered the question of Pontius Pilate:

"My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place."

Jesus also told Pilate that his authority to judge and condemn Jesus came from God. 

The question for us is:

Does King Jesus reign over your heart and mind and finances? If not, Advent is the Season of grace to place your life under the authority of Jesus Christ. 

Mary was conceived without original sin. This grace and privilege are fitting in view of the birth and death of her Son Jesus Christ, who is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. 

"O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You."

For the Immaculate Conception Devotions and Prayers and Prayer intentions click the link below:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/novena-to-immaculate-conception.html

THE 31 DAY NOVENA TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Link:

http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2024/12/31-day-novena-to-immaculate-conception.html?m=1