20 Dec Friday

The gospel is Matthew’s opening narrative which comes just after the first part of Mt. 1, the genealogy. Unlike Luke, Matthew begins with Joseph. He is a man of three dreams: our gospel today, the dream to go to Egypt, and the dream to return from Egypt. Matthew’s birth narratives are much shorter and simpler than Luke’s, yet still loaded with a rich theology.

God acts through intermediaries. These are not only angelic, but also through humans in real time history. That means through us, too. Step back a moment and ask: is God at work in my life? Have I ever known or heard that deep interior voice calling me to do something outside my comfort zone? Have I answered that voice and done the will of God in my life?