By Meztli Doles
Daily Lectionary Reading: Isaiah 11:1-1; Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12
Selected passage for reflection: Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
Read
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 The Voice
A Song of Solomon.
1 True God, bestow Your honest judgments upon the king and anoint the king’s son with Your righteousness.2 May he be honest and fair in his judgments over Your people and offer justice to the burdened and suffering.3 Under his reign, may this land of mountains and hills know peace and experience justice for all the people.4 May the king offer justice to the burdened and suffering, rescue the poor and needy, and demolish the oppressor!
5 [May the people fear You][a] for as long as the sun shines, as long as the moon rises in the night sky, throughout the generations.6 May the king be like the refreshing rains, which fall upon fields of freshly mown grass— like showers that cool and nourish the earth.7 May good and honest people flourish for as long as he reigns, and may peace fill the land until the moon no longer rises.
18 May the Eternal God, the God of Israel, be blessed, for He alone works miracles and wonders!19 May His glorious name be blessed forever and the whole earth be filled with His eternal glory!Amen. Amen.
Reflect
Psalms 72 begins with a plea from Solomon, True God, bestow…as I was reading this passage out loud this plea was all too familiar. In this passage Solomon is asking God to bless him; because his intention is to rule with righteousness and justice, even for the poor who are often denied justice. On November 8th many US citizens went out to vote; with the hope that those officials they elected would govern with righteousness and justice. There is hope in this plea, Solomon understands that he is in a unique position, and he also understands that he needs the spirit of God to guide him. His plea is that when he is weak God is strong and that he will not be forsaken.
In my current role as Care Management in the public healthcare system, I work with patients by resourcing them so that they can overcome challenges related to medical issues, extreme poverty, chronic homelessness, and behavioral health conditions. My prayer is just like Solomon Lord bring justice to the burdened and suffering, rescue the poor and needy. The holidays are a time of joy, to be around family; in my line of work the holidays are a busy season. I am on the phone trying to find beds for families, calling different organizations to provide families clothing, resourcing patients with churches that will have a thanksgiving dinner to ensure they will have a meal. For many, the holidays can be a time of loneliness and hopelessness. When I can connect my patients with resources that gives me a sigh of relief. May peace fill the land until the moon no longer rises.
When I experience a moment like that, I want to thank and bless God. May God, the God of Israel, be blessed, for He alone works miracles and wonders! May His glorious name be blessed forever and the whole earth be filled with His eternal glory!
Respond
I would like to invite you to read this passage and be still for a few minutes. I would like to invite you to reflect on the community that you serve or live in. What are ways that you can be an agent of hope? Perhaps your church can start a diaper pantry, perhaps your community is in need of a food pantry, legal resources, blankets, a coat drive. We pray that those officials we elected govern with righteousness and justice. I would like to invite you to research and consider getting involved so that we may know peace and experience justice for all the people in our community.
Rest
Padre Santo que estás en los cielos, thank you for the opportunity that you give us every day to be agents of peace and hope. Allow us to be good stewards of our time and resources; bendito sea por siempre su glorioso nombre; ¡que toda la tierra se llene de su gloria! Amen.
About the Author
Meztli Doles was born in El Distrito Federal, Mexico her parents immigrated to the United States when she was 6 months old. Meztli grew up in the North Side of Chicago. Meztli is a graduate of North Park Theological Seminary where she got her M.Div and MBA. She is bi-vocational working as a Care Manager and as a Director of Justice Initiatives for Covenant Youth Collision Meztli is passionate about work surrounding justice and immigration. When she is not working with DACA students you can find Meztli in the park with her husband Jordan and daughter Natalia. During baseball season you can find them enjoying a nacho helmet at Wrigley watching the Cubs play!