Thursday, March 19, 2020

God is unshakably faithful. We must trust Him, even when we don’t understand His plan. (Readings for March 19,2020, Lectionary 543)

Key:
What these readings tell us about God
What these readings tell us to do
Hyperlinks to additional resources

The LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
“Go, tell my servant David, ‘When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm foreverI will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.’”

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29
R.    (37)  The son of David will live forever.
The promises of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness,
For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R.    The son of David will live forever.
“I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations.”
R.    The son of David will live forever.
“He shall say of me, ‘You are my fathermy Godthe Rockmy savior.’
Forever I will maintain my kindnesstoward him, and my covenant with him stands firm.”
R.    The son of David will live forever.

Reading 2: Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22 
It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, as it is written, I have made you father of many nations.He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist. He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become the father of many nations,according to what was said, Thus shall your descendants be. That is why it was credited to him as righteousness.

Verse Before the Gospel: Psalm 84:5  
Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lordthey never cease to praise you.

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.

What these readings tell us about God
I will make his kingdom firm
I will make his royal throne firm forever
I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me
The son of David will live forever
My kindness is established forever
you have confirmed your faithfulness
The son of David will live forever
The son of David will live forever
You are my father
my God
the Rock
my savior
Forever I will maintain my kindness
my covenant with him stands firm
The son of David will live forever
Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lord
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit
it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her
you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins

What these readings tell us to do
righteousness that comes from faith
it depends on faith
He believed, hoping against hope
they never cease to praise you.
a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame
do not be afraid 
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him

Additional insights into Joseph can be found at:

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