Archives for 2017

December 13: A New King

Traditional Ornament: Horn of Oil

Reading: 1 Samuel 16

“Then Samuel asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’ Jesse replied, ‘There is still the youngest.'” (1 Samuel 16:11)

After Saul’s disobedience, God rejected him as Israel’s king. The Lord then sent Samuel to the home of Jesse of Bethlehem, to anoint a new king that He had chosen from among Jesse’s sons. Jesse presented his seven older sons to Samuel, but none were the one that God had chosen. When Samuel inquires are there any other sons, Jesse sent for his youngest, David, a handsome boy who was out tending sheep. God confirmed to Samuel that this young boy, David was the one to be anointed. Samuel anointed the boy with oil, and “the spirit of the Lord rushed upon David.” (1 Samuel 16:13)

The story of David’s anointing reminds us that God has a plan for each of us, even when we are still young. David, while still a child, was chosen by God to be king of Israel. God’s plan may not be for us to be rulers or people of great importance in the world, but we are all called to serve God in important ways. As God reminded Samuel, “God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The Lord looks into the heart.” (1 Samuel 16: 7) What did God see when He looked into David’s heart? This Advent is a good time to ask, “what does God see when He looks into our hearts?”

© 2017 Catechist’s Aide

December 12: Ruth & Boaz

Traditional Ornament: Grain

Reading: Ruth 3-4

“Blessed is the Lord who has not failed to provide you today with a redeemer. May he become famous in Israel” (Ruth 4:13)

In the beginning of the book of Ruth, we are introduced to Naomi. Her husband has just died. Her two sons marry Moabite (Gentile) women (Orpah and Ruth), and not long after, both sons also die.  Three widowed women alone – without a family – at a time when not having a father or husband made life more than difficult for a woman. Naomi decides to return to her homeland, Bethlehem and instructs her daughters-in-law to return to their families. Ruth, in an act of loyalty, tells Naomi that she will not leave her. One of the most beautiful verses in the Bible is Ruth’s reply to Naomi: “Wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God, my God. Where you die I will die and there be buried.” (Ruth 1:16-17)

Naomi and Ruth reach Bethlehem at the time of the barley harvest and Ruth sets out to glean the fields after the harvesters have finished their work. It is there that she first meets Boaz, who just happens to be a relative of her in-laws. Boaz has heard of Ruth’s loyalty to her mother-in-law and is impressed with the young widow. He is attracted to, and protective of Ruth, and looks out for her best interest, ensuring that she has enough food for herself and for Naomi.

When we pick up the story in Chapter 3, we find Naomi instructing Ruth on how to make a marriage claim with Boaz. She refers to Boaz as their redeemer, which he is according to Jewish law because of the family relationship. The story of Ruth and Boaz may not be the greatest love story ever written, but when they marry, its effects are far-reaching. It meant security for Naomi; it restored a family; and through their descendants came David, the future king of Israel, and from whose house the Messiah would be born.

This Advent, when we look at the story of Boaz marrying Ruth, the young Gentile widow, we are reminded that Jesus sacrificed himself to be the Redeemer of not just the Israelites, but of all people of all nations.

© 2017 Catechist’s Aide

December 11: Joshua

Traditional Ornament: Ram’s Horn / City Walls

Reading: Joshua 5: 13 – 6: 27

“The wall collapsed, and the people attacked the city straight ahead and took it.” (Joshua 6: 20)

After Moses’ death, God chose Joshua to lead the Israelites into the promised land. God promised to be with Joshua and that He would never forsake him. After crossing the Jordan River, the Israelites camped outside of the city of Jericho, which was to be the first city conquered in the promised land. God instructs Joshua to have the armed troops march once around the city for six days with seven priests carrying rams’ horns in front of the ark of the covenant. Then God said, “On the seventh day march around the city seven times, and have the priests blow the horns.” (Joshua 6:4) On the last blast of the horns, all the people will shout and the city walls will collapse allowing the troops to attack the city.

This isn’t the first time we see God tell someone to do something that sounds a little crazy. Could we really blame Joshua if he said, “You want us to do what?” But Joshua, like Noah and Abraham before him, was a model of faithfulness and trusted God enough to follow his instructions without question or doubt. Not only was Joshua faithful, but he must have had unparalleled leadership skills, because he was able to convince his troops to carry out this crazy-sounding mission.

Also important in Joshua’s story is the faithfulness of God. Although we may waiver and are unfaithful, God always keeps His promises. Through Joshua, God kept His word to bring the Israelites to live in the land He had promised them.

© 2017 Catechist’s Aide

December 10: Moses

Traditional Ornament: Stone Tablets / Mountain

Reading: Exodus 19-20, 24

“Now, if you obey me completely and keep my covenant, you will be my treasured possession among all peoples. You will be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.” (Exodus 19: 5-6)

In the covenant with Moses, God makes Israel a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. As his sons and daughters, the people of Israel are to be a light unto the rest of the world, bringing all nations into union with God.

God gives Moses the Ten Commandments, which He has written on stone tablets. The commandments are the condition of the covenant. In order to keep the covenant, Israel must keep God’s commandments. They are His family rules, a “code of conduct” for man’s relationship with God, and his relationship with others. When Moses takes the laws to the people assembled at the foot of the mountain, they respond, “We will do everything that the Lord has told us!” (Exodus 24: 3)

Sometimes the commandments may seem like God’s way to restrict or limit our personal freedom. But, there is another way to look at God’s laws. This Advent we can think of the commandments as God’s way of protecting us from actions or situations that can hurt us. In this light, the commandments become the means by which we can have the freedom to live life fully.

© 2017 Catechist’s Aide

December 09: Passover

Traditional Ornament: Doorpost

Reading: Exodus 12

“Seeing the blood on the lintel and the doorposts, the Lord will pass over that door and not let the destroyer into your house.” (Exodus 12:23)

In Exodus, we see God in “full father mode” working through Moses to keep the promise He made to Abraham – to make his descendants a great nation – but first He must free them from bondage in Egypt. God instructs Moses on what to say, “So you will say to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord: Israel is my son, my firstborn. I said to you: Let my son go, that he may serve me. Since you refused to let him go, I will kill your son, your firstborn.”  (Exodus 4:22-23)  The Passover in Exodus marks the deliverance of the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt. We remember the Passover during Advent because it foreshadows the reason for Christ’s coming –  to deliver us. Just as the blood of an innocent lamb was shed to spare the lives of the Israelites, Christ’s blood was shed to save us all. The Israelites were told to eat the meal with their loins girt, a metaphor for preparedness. This metaphor applies to us as well. In Advent, when we look forward to the second coming of Christ, we recognize that we must be prepared and ready at all times.

Jewish people celebrate the Passover every year to recall their salvation from slavery in Egypt. We eat the Eucharist at Mass and recall the great sacrifice that Jesus made and the ransom that He paid for us.

© 2017 Catechist’s Aide

December 08: Joseph

Traditional Ornament: Coat of Many Colors

Reading: Genesis 37, 39-45, 50

“God, therefore, sent me on ahead of you to ensure for  you a remnant on earth and to save your lives in an extraordinary deliverance.” (Genesis 45:7)

Joseph’s story is prominent in the book of Genesis. Although the lineage of Jesus does not pass through Joseph, he is remembered each Advent in the Jesse Tree, because his story is rich with parallels to Jesus’ own life.

After his brothers sell him into slavery,  Joseph rises to a position of authority in Egypt because of his ability to interpret dreams. At one point in the story, Joseph is in a situation where he could seek revenge against his brothers, who were starving and seeking food for their families. But Joseph realized something more important. Although his brothers’ jealousy had led to his enslavement, it was God who took his situation and brought forth good from it. Joseph recognized that it was God’s continued guiding presence in his life that not only brought about his salvation from life as a slave but salvation from famine for his family.

Joseph shows us that we can place our trust in God when we experience hardships or suffering in life, and know that there is a purpose to our suffering – a lesson to be learned, a greater good to come about. We may not know that purpose today, but we can rest assured that God is always in control.

© 2017 Catechist’s Aide