SECOND DAY: December 17   (from the book: Where is the Child? by Fr. R. Marcos (Makati: St Pauls);  pls responsibly acknowledge source when using publicly)   fr tam nguyen’s photo First Reading: Genesis 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 is a lion’s cub, you have grown up on prey, my son. He crouches, lies down like a lion, Like a lioness—who would dare rouse him? The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace from between his feet, until tribute comes to him, and he receives the people’s obedience.” A.Short Background on the First Reading 1. Who was Judah? Judah was one of the twelve sons of Jacob (or Israel). Jacob was considered the father of the nation of Israel and his twelve sons were considered the foundation stones of this tribal community. This reading shows the royal privileges of Judah.  Among Jacob’s children, Judah would enjoy prominence and power. From Judah’s line will come David, the greatest king of Israel.  The people believed that David’s reign would be forever and from him would come one who would be enthroned as eternal ruler and ultimate monarch. Jacob prophesies about the scepter of Judah. He promises a victor, like a lion, a ruler. “The sons of your father shall bow down to you.” Christ is the son of Judah, but how do we see these images adapted to Christ? 2. Jacob gives a blessing to his son. The Bible puts strong emphasis on blessings.  The words that comprise blessings are not mere praises or flattering encouragement.  They are truly a source of grace in the lives of those who receive them.  Isaac, the father of Jacob, mistakenly gave his blessing to Jacob instead of the elder son Esau.  And yet, he could not revoke the blessing or repeat it for Esau.  Once given, the blessing remains.  God is always faithful in his words. B.  Reflections on the First Reading Reflection 1: Be a Blessing This Christmas, we desire to partake of God’s blessings.  We count our blessings and we want to share our blessings to others. Christmas is an ever-constant reminder of the ceaseless blessings that come from God and that flow into our world. In actual life, however, do we experience bestowing and uttering blessings on one another?  Due to complex life situations, so many words and actions are wasted today in anger, in hostility, and in retribution.  We speak ill of people whom we envy.  We malign people who wrong us.  We destroy reputations of those we do not like or those who pose as threats to our interests. But have we ever thought of positively altering our lives and the lives of other people by putting a stop to the cycle of malediction happening around us?  The reading shows us a way of improving our lives and the lives of others.  Jacob gives a blessing that will change forever the future of his son, Judah.  His blessing will remain forever in effect, and from Judah’s tribe the Messiah will be born—all because Jacob spoke words of faith, encouragement, and hope. At Christmastime, we dream of blessings.  Have you ever thought of yourself as an agent of blessings?  When was the last time you spoke positively of your spouse, children, coworkers, friends, or neighbors?  You can start the cycle of blessings by desiring that others be blessed and by speaking the blessing that will change the lives of people for the better. Jesus even tells us to bless our persecutors, to bless and never to curse.  Like Jacob, when you bless, you transform others.  And like Jacob, when you bless others with your love, presence, words, and actions, you become the first recipient of your blessing. Remember that God blesses the world through you. Reflection 2: God’s Plan for You Through the figure of Jacob, the reading assures us that God prepares a bright future for all his children.  In creating the world and in creating each of us, God assumes the role of father concerned for the welfare of each member of his family. The seasons of Advent and Christmas unveil the plan of God for the whole human race, a design for the emergence of love, harmony, and peace in this world. It does not mean that because God initiates his great plan for our lives, we do not anymore have the freedom to pursue what we want in life.  By just looking at people around us and maybe even our own experiences, we know that, in fact, many have taken the future into their own hands, regardless of the plan of God, obeying only their own agenda, their heart’s desires. Man and woman have the freedom and energy to carve their own futures, even apart from the design of God.  We also know the painful and sad consequences of such indifference and disobedience to God’s manifest will. But in the reading, it is clear that from the heart of God, he lays down before us only the best possibilities. He is our Father, and like Jacob, foresees what is most beneficial for his family. Jacob, through his prophecy for Judah, prepares the bright future of his son’s lineage.  Not that in the future there will be no tribulations in Judah’s clan.  But God will see to it that in the end, all his promises will materialize. Believe that God has something excellent in store for you!  Resist the doubt that tempts us to think that God has forgotten us or that he plays deaf to our pleas. You are loved and favored.  At times when the clouds are dark, stand tall and claim the future the Lord has planned for you.  Seek his will and totally adhere to it in faith, and know that God’s … Continue reading SIMBANG GABI DAY 2: READINGS AND REFLECTIONS