Keep Your Eye on the Goal. Wisdom

December 17 Wednesday the Third Week

GENESIS 49:2, 8-10; MATTHEW 1:1-17.

Click here for the complete text of today’s readings.

What are you waiting for during Advent?

Is it for God to bring you – all of creation – to fulfillment?

Matthew’s Gospel presents Jesus as the promised “Son of David” who fulfills God’s promises (2Samuel 7:12).

He divides Jesus’ genealogy into three periods: Abraham up to David, David down to the Babylonian exile; up again to Jesus. Second peak. Second David. Messiah.

Jesus is the goal of Jewish – and human – history.

The Alleluia calls Jesus “Wisdom” – the first of seven  “O Antiphons,” key titles of Jesus offered as intensive preparation for Christmas.

“Wisdom” is the gift of “taste for spiritual things” and the habit of “seeing everything in the light of our last end.” God gives the gift; we form the habit. Jesus as goal is the key to both.

Wisdom is focusing on union with Jesus on earth and acting for union with God in heaven as goal. Wisdom brings about justice.

“Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.”

Wisdom leads us into peace. Tasting God’s “ground level” human words and actions in Jesus arouses desire to taste more. That is Wisdom.

We find Wisdom by interacting on ground level with God made flesh in Jesus.

So what are you waiting for?

Pray (all day): 

“Lord, do this with me, do this in me. do this through me.”

Practice: 

Taste the human Jesus. Study the Gospels.