Daily Reflections for the Misa de Gallo (Part 1)
Daily Reflections for the Misa de Gallo (in Preparation for the celebration of the Birth of Christ)
December 16 - 24, 2005
PART 1: December 16-17
December 16, 2005 The First Day of Misa De Gallo (B) - White
LIKE BURNING AND SHINING LAMPS
First Reading: Isaiah 56:1-3,6-8
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 67 - "O God, let all the nations praise you!"
Gospel: John 5:33-36
A burning and shining lamp—Lamps were used in Palestine before the Israelites conquered the land. They were a fixture of domestic life, used to give light to the house in the evening. They came in varied sizes. Small, hand-held lamps were common. In view of their small capacity, carrying a supply of oil was essential, as we see in Jesus’ parable of the Ten Virgins (Mt 25:3-8). Bigger lamps and lampstands were used to light the Temple of Jerusalem. A seven-branched lampstand called the Menorah was used in the tabernacle.
Lamps and light are positive images in Scripture. The guidance of parents is a lamp for children (Prv 6:23). The Word of God is extolled as like “a lamp to my feet” (Ps 119:105). At the end of the Bible, lamps are no longer needed because the lamp of the new city “is the Lamb” (Rv 21:23) and “the Lord will be their light” (Rv 22:5).
Jesus is the light of the world (Jn 8:12), one who overcomes the darkness. But he also tells the disciples that they are the light of the world, emphasizing on allowing their lamps to shine (Mt 5:15).
Jesus also points to John the Baptist as a “burning and shining lamp.” The Greek word kaiomenos (translated as “burning”) is a passive participle, and is better rendered as “kindled.” This means that the light of the Baptist is an initiative of God who sent John to bear witness to Jesus, the Messiah. The witness of John consists in his fearless exposure of wrongdoing and in his pointing others to Jesus. After this, he fades from the scene because as a lamp he thinks it necessary for Jesus, who is the light, to increase and for himself to decrease (Jn 3:30).
This Christmas season, we are invited to be like John the Baptist. We are invited to be witnesses to God’s greatest act of salvation - giving us Christ - His Eternal Word made flesh and offered for our salvation. Let us be like burning and shining lamps that guide other people back to the Father.
December 17, 2005 The Second Day of Misa De Gallo (B) - White
OF SAINTS AND SINNERS
First Reading: Genesis 49:2,8-10
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72 - "Justice shall flourish in his time and fullness of peace forever."
O Antiphon: O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!
Gospel: Matthew 1:1-17
The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ - A book of genealogy is a representative element of one’s family. This gives us a foretaste of where you came from and what lineage are you in.
In fulfillment of the prophecies and the plan of salvation, the Lord Jesus comes from the lineage of David, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1). We see that Jesus, the Messiah, does not come from a heraldic/royal lineage, instead he is an offspring of an ordinary lineage: made up of saints and sinners. This means that Jesus is born among us, ordinary people, and has come to save us and be one with us.
As people of the living God, we are invited to welcome Christ in our home, in our hearts, to be vessels of this seed, who is our refuge and strength. Though, we are sinners, Christ will bloom in our hearts, and will stay with us forever.
