We hear today in the daily scripture readings, of the lineage of Jesus. Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, calls his sons together and announces that his son, Judah, will be the chosen one and the one from whom, “the scepter shall never pass.” It is he who will receive “the people’s homage.“
Between the readings these days from now until Christmas we have what is known as, “The O Antiphons.” Simply, they all begin with the proclamational introduction, “O”. Today we hear, “O come wisdom of our God most high.”
The gospel today is the historical record of how God has brought about the birth of Jesus through the natural process of fathers and mothers begetting sons and daughters. From Abraham, through Jacob and then Judah, all the way through the many generations, God is working. David, the great king plays his part so that Jesus will be born of royal stock which fulfills the many prophets. After recounting exiles and returns from exile, the gospel simply closes with, “Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. It was of her that Jesus, who is called the messiah, was born.”
A week from today is Christmas Eve and we might think that seven days is a very long time, or we might thinking it is a very short time. It all depends on either how intensely you are waiting for Christmas, or how much you have to do to get ready. We are asked in today’s readings to be impressed by how long God waited for the sending of His Son and how much there was to do to get God’s people ready.
What took so long? The same problems that God had getting a people ready for His coming, are the same problems God faces with getting us ready these days to have His Son born again for us. “So little time and so much to do.”
God patiently waited. God patiently waits. God is still working to have Jesus born in “new Bethlehems and new Nazareths.” Patience is our prayer of praise these holy days in which we call out, “O come wisdom of our God most high, guiding creation with power and love. Teach us to walk in the paths of knowledge.”
Rev. Larry Gillick, SJ
I entered the Society of Jesus in 1960, after graduating from Marquette University High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and attending St. Norbert College for two years. I was ordained in 1972 after completing theological studies at the Toronto School of Theology, Regis College. I presently minister in the Deglman Center for Ignatian Spirituality at Creighton and give retreats.
I enjoy sharing thoughts on the Daily Reflections. It is a chance to share with a wide variety of people in the Christian community experiences of prayer and life which have been given to me. It is a bit like being in more places than just here. We actually get out there without having to pay airlines to do it. The word of God is alive and well.
