Reflection on the Gospel
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Matthew 1: 18-24 |
In our readings we have not reached yet to Jesus’ Birth, we will definitely arrive there Next Sunday. But today’s reading does bear an interesting nugget in the episodes that happen before Jesus’ Birth. The thing we need to take into account about the stories of Jesus’ Birth are the differences or stress on different things in Matthew and Luke. First, Both are complimentary and together both give us the entire picture and truth. While Luke writing much later after Matthew, fills all the gaps that Matthew left out, he primarily presents the Gospel from Mary’s view.
Matthew was presenting His gospel to the patriarchal society of Jews. His primary aim was not the birth, but the Blessing of Abraham (Gen 12:1-3), The Eternal Seed of David (2 Samuel 7), who now sits on His Throne, and the Truly Miraculous Sign offered to Ahaz, now truly completed in the Virgin Conception of Mary. But mind you this conception is the work of God
Now add all this up, and you see that the Jewish Community was favoured with a visitation from God. He walked, talked, and dispensed wisdom to them. But their response was that of the foolish from the wisdom literature, who rejected Wisdom.
Much in the same sense, Jesus has not left us and gone UP, as some think. No, Heaven is in our midst, because Heaven/God is in our midst, because we are the apple of His eyes. And if Heaven is around us, Jesus is also here, God among us! God with us! If this is the truth, there are many questions that come to mind. But the most important one that needs to be answered is do you then make ‘yourself’ the gift that you desire to give the King, and along with the other Wise Men, present to the Saviour…
