CHRISTMAS NOVENA - Day 3 : O Adonai

Day 3 - December 18: O Adonai...

O Adonai, and leader of the house of Israel
who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush
and gave him the law on Sinai:
Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.

Based on Isaiah 11:45 and Isaiah 33:22, the title Adonai, refers to the Lordship of Yahweh, that the people of Israel always stressed on. From a generic universal history that yesterday's "Wisdom" reminded us of, today's "Adonai" comes down to the particular experience of Exodus, the watershed of the Spirituality of the people of Israel.

The Symbols are burning bush, to remind the experience when Moses surrendered to Yahweh and the stone tablets of the commandments, the symbol of Israel's surrender to Yahweh. What is stressed is the Lordship of Yahweh, which is the key to the God-experience of the Israel and our faith-experience today.

The Lord of Israel, our God is Supreme over all beings of the earth or the heavens, the Lord of history and the Lord of the future. This is nothing that God would insist on holding on to, because God stands to gain nothing whether we accept or reject God's losrdship; it is we who stand to gain or lose! When we accept the Lordship of the Creator, we find meaning, significance and purpose in everything that happens in our life; when we do not surrender, every bit of what happens can become a concern and a cause for sadness and dissatisfaction. Hence the call is to Surrender, to the lordship of the Lord.

The prayer today is that of a SURRENDER... into the redeeming power of God, to be led by the Lord's hands always - from darkness to light, from folly to wisdom, from death to life!

Branches of justice...all for the Reign!

THE WORD IN ADVENT

Third Thursday in Advent - December 18, 2025

Jeremiah 23: 5-8; Matthew 1: 18-24

Getting closer to the great event of Christmas, the Word introduces  us to the person of Joseph - the son of David, the heir of David chosen for the coming of the Son of God, the just man chosen for the rise of the branch of justice from David. 

The name of David repeats itself in the Word today - and we know the significance of that person in the history of Israel... apart from Moses whom God called a "friend", David is the only person that God expressed a sense of belonging calling him "my servant" (see 1 Kings 11). Because, in spite of his weaknesses and fragility, David's filial attachment to God never diminished from the beginning till the end. That is why he shines as the epitome of God's promises.

The virtue of justice is referred to constantly today - not in the sense of justice and injustice but in the sense of being virtuous. Here it means being attached to God, choosing God above all, and doing everything from the perspective of God, the summum bonum. Virtuosity hence is godliness, that is being mindful of God and being led by God in all.

Joseph is brought to light against this background - that of David and that of justice. Joseph, the son of David, just man: just man not because he was totally by the side of God. What God wanted he carried out, not counting the trouble nor seeking his comfort or convenience. He knew he was on the right, when he was on the side of God. 

As pilgrims of hope, with the Reign as our hope, we are called too - to choose the Reign, to stand by the Reign and dedicate our life and mission, all for the Reign.