Mt 1,1-16.18-23

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love.

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: see your family, a photo of someone from your past

Ask for the fruit of meditation: for the courage to live with Christ and for the complete acceptance of what is my history (if it is difficult ask for the desire to accept what is your history) 

1.     My history

Perhaps the meditated passage makes no sense to you at first sight. However, it is worth looking deeper to see that the family of Jesus is not sacred in the human sense. It is still a history of salvation. God is everywhere and works through everyone. The story of Jesus’ family is marked by the sin and deceitfulness of their ancestors (remember the story of Judah and his daughter-in-law Tamar, with whom he had children or story of the prostitutes Rahab). Jesus’ ancestors were also people who were not perfectly alive and today we can say they had difficulty obeying God’s 10 commandments. Jesus was not born in the palace, but in a manger. This story gives us a lot of hope that our families are also marked by sin, difficulties, that we have our fears, fears for our children and the future. All this does not bother God, His Presence in our lives.Look at your family history – remember the names, events, and see that everything that was, even if it seems difficult, has affected you today and you can be alive today.

2.      Salvation, reconciliation

The family history from the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew shows that everything that happened led to Jesus, to salvation. Christ came to reconcile the world to save, not to throw away somethingLook inside yourself: what is going to God in you and what is not going to God. How can you reconcile and save everything that is within you so that it can serve together for the greater glory of God?

3.     Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace …

Joseph found himself in a difficult situation, unenviable. He could feel betrayed, cheated by Mary. Still, he does not want to expose her to public disgrace. So, he is looking for a way out of this situation, to provide Mary with respect, save her as a human being. Joseph gives us a beautiful example of realizing the commandment of love.In different life situations we also have the right to feel anger, regret, feel betrayed, but we should let us keep our dignity to the other person. How do you deal with such situations? How do you accept another person? What does Joseph teach you today?On the other hand, let us note that despite Joseph’s first assumption of betrayal of Mary, it turns out that the situation is different. The thought that arises in us doesn’t always good.  What is your ability to explain misunderstandings to others and yourself? How do you verify the truth of your thoughts?

4.     For reflection…

… phrase of Ignatius Loyola: He who makes a mistake, let him not be spirited, because mistakes help for the health of the soul. (St. Ignatius encourages reflection, drawing conclusions and constant openness to God’s action.)

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)