Daily Reflection for Tuesday, December 28, 2021
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners!
We encourage you to reflect on Tuesday’s readings at this link:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122821.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: John 1:5-2:2
Responsorial: Psalm 124:2-5, 7cd-8
Gospel: Matthew 2:13-18
Our reflection on Tuesday’s readings:
The angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream … Matthew 2:13
This is not the first time a messenger from God, an angel, appeared to Joseph with news. First, he was told that Mary would have a child and that he should adopt the child as his own. This child, as we know, was Jesus. This visit Joseph was told to take Jesus and Mary and go to Egypt now. No passing Go and no collecting $200, just go. And stay until I tell you to come back.
Herod was a very jealous ruler and wanted any potential rivals to be gone. The Magi had warned to go back after their visit to the child Jesus by another way. So, this message from the angel was very important. Joseph heard it and obeyed without hesitation.
This was not an easy journey. No airplane flights, no superhighways, no taxis or Uber or Lyft. Joseph took his family and went.
How often do we hear a message from God and ignore it or discount it? The messengers we hear may not be angels. Maybe someone says something that finally makes sense to us or seems the right thing to do – a gut level feeling of correctness, if you will. This is what I had to go through when dealing with my wife’s dementia.
First, I had to admit that I could not fix the problem and ask God to show me His path. Then I had to listen and finally accept and trust that God’s plan was better than mine. I pray that we all learn to relax and listen for messages from God which may come in unexpected but compelling ways.
Peace,
Al Ammons
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.