The Good News Is for All!

Preparing for the Nativity of the Lord: Two Days before Sunday (Year A)

Scripture

Psalter: Luke 1:46b-55

Old Testament: 2 Samuel 7:18, 23-29

Epistle: Galatians 3:6-14

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Prayer

We ask you, Almighty God, to purify our consciences by your daily visitation, that when your Son our Lord comes he may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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Reflection

Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would reckon as righteous the gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the gentiles shall be blessed in you.” For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed (Galatians 3:6-9).

In Galatians 3:6-14 Paul discusses the concept of faith in relation to salvation. He writes to the Christian community in Galatia addressing the issue of whether salvation comes through faith or through adherence to the law of Moses, particularly what had become the outward marks of Jewish identity—circumcision, food laws, and Sabbath observance.

Paul notes that Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. This means that Abraham was considered righteous by God because he had faith in God’s promises. All those who have faith in Jesus Christ are also considered righteous by God (Galatians 3:7).

The Apostle states that the promise of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ was made before the law of Moses was given, and that it is therefore not dependent on the law. The law was given to the people of Israel as a way to reveal their sin and to lead them to Christ (Galatians 3:24).

Paul continues to argue that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, and not through adherence to the law. He says that those who rely on the law for salvation are under a curse, because the law states that everyone who does not follow all of its commandments is cursed (Galatians 3:10). However, Paul argues that Jesus took upon himself the curse of the law by dying on the cross for our sins, and that through faith in him, we are set free from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13). Paul concludes by saying that through faith in Jesus Christ, we are all heirs to the promise of salvation, regardless of whether we are Jews or Gentiles (Galatians 3:14).

Jesus makes everyone who believes heirs of the promise of salvation. The Good News is for all!

PRAYER: Almighty God, who has given us your only-begotten Son to take our nature upon him and as at this time to be born of a pure virgin: Grant that we, being regenerate and made your children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit; through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the same Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

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