Matthew 7: 7-12 the Golden Rule

Queen Esther is one of those great female heroes of the Old Testament.  The Israelites are in captivity in Babylon.  She, specifically is living in Susa.  As an orphan, her uncle, Mordechai, has raised her in the Jewish faith as his adopted daughter to be a good humble woman who loves and honors God, following the Lord’s commands.    God granted her the gifts of beauty and humility.  When she was allowed into the harem of the king, they helped her to become his queen.  When the people of Israel were persecuted and threatened to be killed by the vizier, Esther made humble supplications to the Lord in prayer for help against the coming tribulations of her people.  The Lord God heard his daughter and saved his people.  Everything about Esther seems to have been preordained to help the Lord's people, but she plays an active role in their continuation, as well as serving as an example of true feminine beauty not only outwardly, but inwardly.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus in speaking about prayer reiterates that God listens to his people.  As a loving Father he will give us what we need, what is best for us.   He also reminds us that we are to “do to others whatever you would have them do to you.  This is the Law and the Prophets.”  Jesus is giving us what some call the Golden Rule.

As we continue our Lenten path, may our humility and virtues let us shine with inward beauty and humility as we grow closer to God. 

Matthew 1:1-17 The Genealogy of Jesus

Matthew gives us a genealogy of Jesus, conveniently telling us that there were fourteen generations between the beginning of man and King David, fourteen between David and the Babylonian captivity, and fourteen between the captivity and Christ Jesus.   Listed are many kings both good and bad, a contrast to help us see clearly God’s presence in the history of Israel.  Some of those kings struggled led the nation astray or to be conquered, allowing us to see God’s mercy in helping Israel through those listed kings who were good, who sought to restore the people of God and helped them conform to God’s ways.  Mentioned too are women and men who God directly heard, protected, and preserved.  Allowing us to know that God remembers each of us specifically as we form his people.  We remember through this genealogy how merciful and loving the Lord is. 

  We know that if we were to compare this genealogy to 1 Chronicles that Matthew has edited some names from the actual genealogy.  Why does this occur?  Matthew is writing to the Jewish people.   For them fourteen is a special number.  It is the number of steps in the Passover supper commemorating when God saved his people leading them out of slavery.  It is the Date in the Jewish month of Adar when Purim is celebrated, which commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman in Babylonia when he tried to have them all killed.  The number fourteen in also represented the day of Pesach Sheni, the day before the Passover when they celebrated bringing forth the Paschal lamb.  These ideas are invoked by the number fourteen. 

Matthew has already instilled in our minds the idea of God's mercy and love.  Now he is drawing us to consider the Purim, and especially Pasch through which God saved his people.  Matthew specifically draws us to Christ and his birth into the human family, using the word twice at the end of today's passage.    We are called to stay awake, sit-up, pay attention!  Christ is coming in glory.  May we continue to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord in his mercy. 

Matthew 21:23-27

A Star Shall Advance from Jacob (from my reflection journal)

Together we are all preparing for the coming of Christ.  Yesterday's message focused on what John the Baptist’s teaching on preparing for Christ.  John calls us to share what we have with others.  At a catechism class I taught some kids talked about how their families have too much stuff and how they could give some things to thrift shops.  An aide came through our room at one point and we used him as an example how we can share out time with others.  That got the kids excited because as we talked they realized they could share themselves with the baby Jesus. The children also understood that John calls us to be honest.  I am proud of them for that. Because Jesus is the Truth being dishonest makes us not ready to be in Christ’s presence.  These children are very good teachers!  When we discussed taking more that we ought, the kids recognized that immediately. For them this is the most difficult thing.  They call ‘hogging.’  Someone reminded everyone that the way to not be a hog is to share.  If these are some lessons on the path to Christ, then by whose authority do they come? 

In today’s Gospel the priests and the elders demand to know by what authority Jesus is teaching, and who gave him authority.  It is ironic to us because we recognize Jesus as the Christ who is teaching about God the Father, while these priests and elders whose focus is supposed to be on heavenly things are asking him about earthly matters.  They couldn’t see the deeper, hidden picture. 

As the children reheard yesterday’s Gospel story they had a picture in front of them.  Within that picture were hidden pictures that they had to find.  The activity helped them understand that what we see could have a deeper meaning.  Have you ever been to care facility and seen a young person with a patient?  Have you ever seen a woman with a newborn? Have you ever seen a man play with ball with kids?  What about someone praying to God quietly in church?  These are all things that are seen.  There is an invisible connection between the people in each, forming relationships, emotions: a deeper picture.  The priests and the elders only saw Jesus teaching. They missed the deeper pictures and the invisible connections. So Jesus asks them, where was John the Baptist from, “Was it of heavenly or human origin?”  Jesus was trying to refocus them and broaden their thoughts.  They feared saying John was from one or the other.  John had already told the crowds that he merely baptized in water, but one would come after him who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.  Could you imagine if they had the courage to acknowledge that one could come and be both of earthly and heavenly origin? 

Remember the Prophet Balaam’s words, prophesying about the God the Son that he would be king of kings, and “his royalty shall be exalted…a star shall advance from Jacob and a staff shall arise from Israel.” We await joyfully this Advent for the newborn king, the Good Shepherd who uses his staff to guide us.  Let us prepare with the steps John gives us.  Let us be mindful of sharing our love with others.  Let us follow the star to Christ, where we, like the little children, can share all of ourselves with Him.  We ask this in Christ’s name.  Amen.