20251218 JESUS IS THE IDEAL KING AND MESSIAH
18 December 2025, Thursday, 3rd Week in Advent
First reading | Jeremiah 23:5-8 |
I will raise a virtuous Branch for David
See, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks –
when I will raise a virtuous Branch for David,
who will reign as true king and be wise,
practising honesty and integrity in the land.
In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel dwell in confidence.
And this is the name he will be called:
The-Lord-our-integrity.
So, then, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when people will no longer say, “As the Lord lives who brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt!” but, “As the Lord lives who led back and brought home the descendants of the House of Israel out of the land of the North and from all the countries to which he had dispersed them, to live on their own soil.”
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 71(72):1-2,12-13,18-19 |
In his days justice shall flourish, and peace until the moon fails.
O God, give your judgement to the king,
to a king’s son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice
and your poor in right judgement.
In his days justice shall flourish, and peace until the moon fails.
For he shall save the poor when they cry
and the needy who are helpless.
He will have pity on the weak
and save the lives of the poor.
In his days justice shall flourish, and peace until the moon fails.
Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel,
who alone works wonders,
ever blessed his glorious name.
Let his glory fill the earth.
Amen! Amen!
In his days justice shall flourish, and peace until the moon fails.
Gospel Acclamation |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Ruler of the House of Israel,
who gave the law to Moses on Sinai,
come and save us with outstretched arm.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Matthew 1:18-24 |
How Jesus Christ came to be born
This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son
and they will call him Emmanuel,
a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’ When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.
JESUS IS THE IDEAL KING AND MESSIAH
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [JER 23:5-8; MATTHEW 1:18-24]
Since the time of King David, the kings of Israel were all corrupt, except for a few. Most of them did not exercise their kingship in the name of the Lord. Instead of bringing unity and progress to the nation, they divided the nation and the people. This is true for all of us, especially those in leadership. We must remember that when we are given an office or a title, it is not for ourselves, our glory, or vested interests. We are called to exercise authority on behalf of God, who is the true King. Unfortunately, human beings, being weak, are often tempted to use power and authority for their benefit. The consequences are far –reaching because when a leader falls, all those under them suffer. This is true whether in the religious or political world, and it is especially pronounced in politics. When world leaders, instead of promoting justice and peace, wage wars for their own gain — whether economic or political — the damage is immense.
In today’s first reading, the prophet announces that the true King will come: “See, the days are coming — it is the Lord who speaks — when I will raise up a righteous Branch for David, who will reign as a true king and will be wise.” Indeed, a true king or leader is one who is wise, honest, and rules with integrity. Wisdom and integrity are the hallmarks of a true leader. As leaders, we need to be wise — prudent and able to recognise the most important and essential aspects of life, not just be carried away by activities or programs. In all that we do, we must lead people toward fullness of life and love, not just wealth, materialism, or worldly gains.
He must also be a man of integrity, acting according to his beliefs. The prophet says the true king must be “practising honesty and integrity in the land. In his days, Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name he will be called: The Lord Our Justice.” He is consistent with the values he sets forth for others to follow. It is not enough to tell people to do as we say and not as we do. Without integrity and honesty, trust and confidence in leaders are impossible to gain. Without these virtues, we only spread division, fear, and suspicion. Eventually, the whole organisation or nation can break apart — just as it happened in the reign of the corrupt kings of Israel, when social injustice and corruption led to division, lost loyalty, and powerless defences against enemies.
Who is this king foretold by the prophet Jeremiah, if not our Lord Jesus Christ? He is the King of kings. He rules His kingdom with love, mercy, and compassion. Jesus is a humble king who gave His life for His people. He spoke the truth with courage, with the sole desire to lead people to His Father. He preached the Kingdom of God, as expressed in the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount. Yet He also lived out that Kingdom in action — welcoming sinners, healing the sick, the blind, and the lepers. Most of all, Jesus ruled on the cross — faithful to His Father, even unto death, amidst selfish, wicked, and ignorant people. What Jesus taught, He also lived. He not only showed us the way but modelled it through His sacrificial life of humble service.
Truly, He will unite His people as Jeremiah foretold: “So, then, the days are coming — it is the Lord who speaks — when people will no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought the Israelites out of Egypt,’ but, ‘As the Lord lives who brought back the descendants of the house of Israel from the land of the north and all the countries where He had dispersed them, to live on their own soil.'” Jesus came to bring unity to all mankind. As St. Paul later says, “For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, nor male and female — for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:26-29)
Indeed, the responsorial psalm beautifully describes the kingship of our Lord: “In His days, justice shall flourish, and peace until the moon fails. O God, give Your judgment to the king, and Your justice to the king’s son, that they may judge Your people in righteousness and Your poor in justice. They will save the poor when they cry, and the needy who have no helper. He will have pity on the weak and save the lives of the needy.” By His death on the cross, Jesus reconciled us with God and with each other. He taught us to live in truth and, most importantly, to forgive those who hurt us. He believed that love and forgiveness are the keys to genuine repentance, justice, and peace. The only way to restore peace and justice in the world is to take the Sermon on the Mount seriously — loving, sharing, and forgiving our enemies. The Beatitudes serve as the blueprint for a just and peaceful world — a blessed life.
This life of wisdom, grace, and integrity is exemplified today in the person of Joseph, who teaches us what it means to exercise wisdom and integrity in our conduct. In God’s plan, Jesus’ kingship is necessarily traced to Joseph. We are told that the angel guided Joseph in a dream: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for she has conceived by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” This is a fulfilment of Scripture, as Jesus would be born of the House of David and truly a successor to King David. This message must have come as a shock to Joseph, beyond his understanding or imagination.
It must have humbled him to such an extent that he felt totally unworthy to take care of Mary, knowing her child was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Perhaps this was the real reason Joseph considered divorcing Mary: he recognised her as the divine claim of God, and felt inadequate to raise Jesus, the Messiah, or even to care for Mary, knowing the Holy Spirit dwelled so intimately in her. Yet, as a man of integrity, Joseph was receptive to God’s guidance, willing to abide by His will.
Joseph cooperated with God, even when it was difficult. He knew who the true King of his life was. He entrusted himself entirely to God’s plan, allowing his life to be transformed. He saw himself as a servant of God — like Mary. He was truly generous and obedient to God. We are told he was a just man; he acted according to his conscience, aligning his actions with the Law of Moses. His conduct must have inspired Jesus in His ministry. He was faithful to himself and ready to do God’s will. When he knew it was indeed part of God’s plan, upon waking up, he immediately “did what the angel of the Lord had told him: he took his wife home.” From that moment, he devoted himself fully to being the foster father of Jesus and the loving husband of Mary. He protected Jesus and Mary during Herod’s persecution. He taught Jesus not just the carpenter’s trade but also virtues such as honesty and integrity in dealing with others.
As we approach the birth of our Lord, let us welcome Jesus, our true King. Let us follow Him by helping to establish His kingship on earth — whether as collaborators like Joseph or by exercising His kingship in our own lives. We are all called to be kings and servants at the same time. Only God is our true king. As leaders — whether as parents, teachers, or corporate heads — we are called to exercise God’s kingship on behalf of others. We must be mindful of what we say and do, because the ramifications for society and for those under our care can be profound. As St. Paul reminds us, we should do everything for the glory of God: “Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24) Let us collaborate with those in authority over us so that together we can build God’s kingdom on earth. As Scripture affirms, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved
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