The WORD today reminds me that God is perfect, and his plans are always perfect.

In the gospel, we see the genealogy of Jesus – from Abraham to David and eventually until Jesus. We see in the numbers that there are 14 generations each – from Abraham to David, from David to the Babylonian Exile, and from the Babylonian Exile to Christ. This reminds us that God is perfect, and his plans are always perfect.

It took time – 42 generations before Christ was born. A lot of things could have gone wrong. However, when God plans something, it will always be perfect. It will always come true. There may have been challenges along the way, but God knows how to make his plans come true. This is something we should remember.

There are a lot of concerns in our lives, especially with this pandemic and the government . There are a lot of fears. There are a lot of dependencies. And sometimes, we think that all these factors are so powerful that they can prevent God’s great plans from happening in our lives. Today, we are reminded that we need not worry about it. All these are powerless against God. Nothing can stop his great plans for us. no external factors can affect it. God’s perfect plans will always come to fruition, no matter what other people do, no matter what happens. We just need to trust in God and do our part.

We are still in a pandemic. Government officials seem to be more concerned about money, power, and the elections rather than helping others and ending the pandemic. We still see rampant corruption and incompetence. We feel frustrated, but we just need to trust in God’s perfect plans. We do what we can to improve the situation, but hope and trust in His perfect plans for the rest.

What are my concerns right now? Why am I worried about these things? Do I realize that God and his plans are perfect? What is God reminding me today?

May we be inspired and encouraged by God’s plans and power.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for your reminder. I praise and thank you for being who you are, for your great love and great power. I just submit to your plans for me. Lord, help me to always remember how powerful you are, that nothing can stop your plans. Help me always remember that your plans are always perfect. While I await its completion, I will continue to love and serve you. Amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

Friday of the Third Week of Advent

Lectionary: 193

Reading I

Gn 49:2, 8-10

Jacob called his sons and said to them:
“Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob,
listen to Israel, your father.

   “You, Judah, shall your brothers praise
       –your hand on the neck of your enemies;
       the sons of your father shall bow down to you.
   Judah, like a lion’s whelp,
       you have grown up on prey, my son.
   He crouches like a lion recumbent,
       the king of beasts–who would dare rouse him?
   The scepter shall never depart from Judah,
       or the mace from between his legs,
   While tribute is brought to him,
       and he receives the people’s homage.”

Responsorial Psalm

72:1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17

R.   (see 7) Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
   and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
   and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R.   Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
The mountains shall yield peace for the people,
   and the hills justice.
He shall defend the afflicted among the people,
   save the children of the poor.
R.   Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
   and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
   and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R.   Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
May his name be blessed forever;
   as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
   all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R.   Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
O Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love:
come to teach us the path of knowledge!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mt 1:1-17

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.

My Simple Reflection

Friday, December 17, 2021

Perfect