2020

The word for “jewels” in Hebrew refers to something very costly, like rubies or pearls. Proverbs 31 tells us that these pale in comparison to the value of a godly wife. In Matthew 13:45-46 Jesus tells us about a man who searches for fine pearls.

My precious Lord, Jesus,

I adore You with profound love and rejoice in the celebration of Your birth.

Your love for us is unfathomable,

God created you and me for a purpose. Our destiny is not based on our talents, skills, abilities, gifts, education, wealth or health, though these may be useful. God’s plan for our lives is based on God’s grace and our response to him. All that we have is a gift from God. What we are is a gift back to him.  

In Advent, thoughts naturally turn to the birth of little baby Jesus and his Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. And yet, the lectionary readings for the first and second weeks of Advent feature quite a few stories about John the Baptist, either with John himself as the protagonist or with Jesus discussing John and his significance.