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Genesis 17: 3-9

When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him:
“My covenant with you is this:
you are to become the father of a host of nations.
No longer shall you be called Abram;
your name shall be Abraham,
for I am making you the father of a host of nations.
I will render you exceedingly fertile;
I will make nations of you;
kings shall stem from you.
I will maintain my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
throughout the ages as an everlasting pact,
to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
I will give to you
and to your descendants after you
the land in which you are now staying,
the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession;
and I will be their God.”

God also said to Abraham:
“On your part, you and your descendants after you
must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”

The Word of the Lord.

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Throughout scripture, God does what seems impossible, prompting us to believe that anything can happen – even in our own lives.

In our first reading, God promises Abraham that he will make him a father of nations, whose descendants shall be as numberless as the stars. 

What makes this promise so improbable is the fact that Abraham is already one-hundred years old…and his wife, Sara, is ninety and barren.

After God made this promise, Abraham literally broke out in laughter – likely as a sign of doubt… or, perhaps, inexpressible joy.

When their son was born, he was appropriately named Isaac – in Hebrew, Yishaq – meaning, “laughter.”

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Today, more than half the world – nearly four billion people – consider Abraham their father in faith. 

That’s four-billion proofs of a promise kept.

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Think of other promises God has made.

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven,” Jesus says, “whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (John 6:51).

Or, “If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it” (John 14:14).

May we take the Lord at his word, trusting that he keeps his promises, waiting patiently until they are answered.

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Image credits: (1) Bible Baptist Church (2) Dale A. Brueggemann (3) Pinterest

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Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95

King Nebuchadnezzar said:
“Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
that you will not serve my god,
or worship the golden statue that I set up?
Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made,
whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet,
flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe,
and all the other musical instruments;
otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace;
and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar,
“There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you
in this matter.
If our God, whom we serve,
can save us from the white-hot furnace
and from your hands, O king, may he save us!
But even if he will not, know, O king,
that we will not serve your god
or worship the golden statue that you set up.”

King Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage
against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual
and had some of the strongest men in his army
bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
and cast them into the white-hot furnace.

Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles,
“Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?”
“Assuredly, O king,” they answered.
“But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt,
walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.” 
Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed,
“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him;
they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies
rather than serve or worship any god
except their own God.”

The Word of the Lord.

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Our first reading from the Book of Daniel seems strange. Almost magical. Miraculous.

Three men are thrown into a white-hot furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar because they will not worship false idols. They will only worship the God of Israel.

“There is no need for us to defend ourselves,” they say. “If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace, may he save us!”

And he does.

As the flames rage, an angel appears, comforting the three men, who are seen walking amidst the flames. Miraculously, God delivers his servants from death because of their faith.

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Sometimes life has a way of throwing all of us into the furnace. 

Not that literal, blazing hot oven these three men were once thrown into, but the figurative kind of furnace.

Think of those who wrestle with fear, anxiety, or mental illness. Others who feel like they’ve lost their path in life. Those who are worried about their health, their finances, their marriage, or their future.

Such experiences threaten to burn away our faith, hope, and peace.

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Remember the three men from our first reading who stood firmly in their faith, even when faced with the white-hot furnace. The Lord sent an angel to protect them. 

God will do the same for us when tested. We shall not be consumed nor tried beyond our strength, because, “We can do all things – even walk through fire – through Christ who strengthens us.”

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Image credits: (1) Holy Fire of the Holy Ghost, LinkedIn (2) I’ve Had an Epiphany!, Blogger (3) FaithPot

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Matthew 1: 16-24

Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Today’s Gospel provides some of the clearest insight we have into the heart of Saint Joseph.

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The passage begins with shock. Mary, Joseph’s bride-to-be, is found with child and Joseph knows he is not the father. Imagine his immediate reaction, that the woman whom he loved and trusted has seemingly betrayed him.

Though virtuous, Joseph was only human. I’d imagine after hearing the news, he cried out to God as so many of us would: “God, how could you allow this to happen? Do I not pray to you in the Temple? Do I not offer sacrifice? Do I not follow your commands?”

After the initial shock settles, we see Joseph’s virtue emerge. Although the Law permits him to have Mary stoned, he decides not to expose her to public shame, rather to divorce her quietly. 

Such a gentle dismissal of his bride-to-be reveals the compassion and gentleness of a man who has yet to understand God’s plan.

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Once that plan is revealed, however, we see a deeper dimension of his heart.

An angel appears to Joseph in a dream, assuring him that Mary has not been unfaithful, that his future has not been ruined, and that his marriage can proceed, only on terms that he had never imagined.

Suddenly, the darkness breaks. 

This doesn’t mean that Joseph understands the depths of God’s plans – he must’ve had a thousand different questions. But he doesn’t require perfect clarity to assent to God’s will.

So, he takes Mary and the Christ-child into his home, revealing that Joseph is a man of faith and surrender.

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Which of Joseph’s virtues do I try to practice daily? Or which of them is God calling me to practice in my own family or ministry?

Is it the virtue of compassion? Gentleness? Faith? Or surrender?

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May the Holy Spirit soften our hearts to become more like Joseph, who welcomed Christ into his life, then followed him wholeheartedly.

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Image credits: (1) Saint Coleman Catholic Church (2) The Chaste Heart of Saint Joseph, Giovanni Gasparo (3) The Dream of Saint Jospeh, Phillipe de Champaigne, National Gallery London