Daily Reflection for Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Wednesday’s readings at this link:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/121819.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: Jeremiah 23:5-8
Responsorial: Psalm 72: 1-2, 12-13, 18-19
Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25
Our reflection on Wednesday’s readings:
“Emmanuel … God is with us” Matthew 1:23
After two years of writing monthly reflections, I will be stepping down from a regular writing schedule. I want to thank all who have prayed for me, encouraged me, and have commented (both positively and negatively) on my reflections during the past two years.
For many years, my faith was limited to attending Mass and little else. I may have been an usher and lector at the parish I was attending, but it meant little to me and did not move me beyond the time I was attending Mass. It wasn’t until a 1997 retreat that my faith took me outside of myself. At that retreat God showed me the power of love and God placed on my heart a simple question, “Why are you Catholic?” The answer to this question consumed me for over a decade. In answering this question, I delved into the writings of the Popes, the Early Church Fathers, and catechetical/theological books.
Many may say that I was searching for God during this time and I would have agreed - at the time. But, today’s Gospel passage dispelled that thinking for me. My faith, my religion, is far more God’s search for me than my search for Him. He sought me out and prompted me before I even knew that I was searching for Him. “Emmanuel – God is with us.” Our search for Him is a result of the promptings He places on our hearts and these promptings are God’s searching for us. God seeks us first and as a result, we seek Him.
God’s search for us is so consuming that He was willing to enter the world in human flesh with the name “Emmanuel – God is with us” – to show us His desire (His searching) for us to know Him. As we near Christmas Day and the birth of Christ, may we recognize that God is truly with us.
May God grace each of us this day.
Deacon Bob Beyke