THIRD DAY:  DECEMBER 18   (from the book: Where is the Child? by Fr. R. Marcos (Makati: St Pauls);  pls responsibly acknowledge source when using publicly)     First Reading: Jeremiah 23:5-8   See, days are coming—oracle of the Lord—when I will raise up a righteous branch for David; as king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name to be given him: “The Lord our justice.” Therefore, the days are coming—oracle of the Lord—when they shall no longer say, “As the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt”; but rather, “As the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of the house of Israel up from the land of the north”— and from all the lands to which I banished them; they shall again live on their own soil.   A. Short Background on the First Reading   1. After speaking of unfaithful shepherds (kings), Jeremiah prophesies about a coming king from the “righteous branch” of David. The prophet describes the king’s qualities: justice, righteousness, and wisdom. This king would be in contrast with the previous ones, who no longer fulfilled the role of ideal rulers of God’s people. The promised king was given a name: The Lord our justice. 2. The prophecy involves the vision of a restored people, after the Babylonian destruction and the exile endured by the people of God. This new restoration would be so great that it was even compared to the exodus event, an experience dear to the memory of every Israelite.    B. Reflections on the First Reading   Reflection 1: Justice   One of the ideals of a good society is justice. Justice may be understood in terms of right relationships. When a relationship is defective or in disarray, the road to injustice is opened. Injustice happens when in a home, for example, the parents are negligent of their responsibilities as leaders of the household, when chidren refuse to honor and obey their parents, when there is a lack of trust in one another or a breakdown in communication between the family members. Injustice enters society when the leaders fail to consider and value the legitimate needs and demands of the people, and instead, focus only on their personal interests or their lust for power, privilege, and wealth. We do injustice to God when we sever our relationship with him by failing to render him true adoration. The lure of money and riches, fame or popularity, achievement and power and security leads people to forget God or to devalue their relationship with God. For justice to happen, there must be a healing of relationships, a grace that we can all pray for in the Simbang Gabi.   Reflection 2: Fidelity in Relationships   The Lord detests the infidelity of his chosen shepherds and promises to send one who is truly faithful. Unfaithfulness is a scourge to any family and to society. Sadly, we witness the rupture of once-stable relationships even in the institution called marriage or family. Poverty tears people away from each other in search of better economic opportunities in faraway regions or even abroad. Once separated from loved ones, the threat of loneliness becomes a great temptation to overcome. Many succumb to acts of infidelity when they feel lonely and desolate. Even when families are physically together, infidelity can still seep in due to a culture that promotes casual relationships and pleasurable companionships. This Simbang Gabi, it may be a great idea to encourage people to look into their relationships and to find traces of temptation or sins against fidelity to people and to God. We must ask God for the grace to make amends for these faults and to reestablish meaningful bonds. Let us also invite people to pray for those who are most vulnerable to the temptation of neglecting their commitment to their families or loved ones—overseas workers, students in the cities, young people exposed to wrong orientation on love and relationships, leaders in the Church and in government who tend to abuse their power to dominate others.   GOSPEL: Matthew 1:18-25   Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.  He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.   A. Short Background on the Gospel   1. Today we read the narrative of the annunciation to St. Joseph. In the infancy narratives, the angel comes to announce a special message to several persons: Joseph, Zechariah, Mary, and the shepherds. Matthew’s gospel tells of how Joseph slowly came to understand the plan of God that started with the mysterious pregnancy of Mary, to whom Joseph was already engaged to be married. His comprehension of divine design came through an angelic visitation. The angel announces to him a “special birth” story. A special birth story … Continue reading SIMBANG GABI DAY 3: READINGS AND REFLECTIONS