Tuesday, January 03, 2012 {The Most Holy Name of Jesus (Memorial)}

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
The bread which you do not use is the bread of the hungry; the garment hanging in your wardrobe is the garment of him who is naked; the shoes that you do not wear are the shoes of the one who is barefoot; the money that you keep locked away is the money of the poor; the acts of charity that you do not perform are so many injustices that you commit.
-- St Basil

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Philippians 2:5-11
5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. 
9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name;
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Psalms: Psalm 113:1-8
1 Praise Yah! Praise, you servants of Yahweh, Praise the name of Yahweh.
2 Blessed be the name of Yahweh, From this time forth and forevermore.
3 From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, Yahweh’s name is to be praised.
4 Yahweh is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like Yahweh, our God, Who has his seat on high,
6 Who stoops down to see in heaven and in the earth?
7 He raises up the poor out of the dust. Lifts up the needy from the ash heap;
8 That he may set him with princes, Even with the princes of his people.
Gospel: Matthew 1:18-23
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this; for after his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
19 Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.
20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
21 She shall bring forth a son. You shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
22 Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, And shall bring forth a son.
They shall call his name Immanuel;” Which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”