The feast celebrates the birth of the Virgin Mary.
The daughter of Anna and Joachim
Invitation
May I hereby draw your attention to
the daily reading of the Gospel?
This invitation wants to share with You the joy
of the Gospel. Everyone, no one except,
can experience that joy by opening their hearts
to the healing power of God’s word.
Available every day.
Consideration
As always, the liturgy looks at Mary from her union with Jesus. This is why the Gospel reading also offers us Jesus’ gender list. This enumeration of names hints that God has prepared the incarnation of his Son for centuries: He loves us so much that he wants to be ever closer to his people. Mary is the last link in a long line of people in whom God has patiently grown his plan of salvation. Amidst a tangled history full of ambiguity, unfaithfulness and violence, runs the fine gold thread of God’s faithfulness and grace.
FIRST READING Mich. 5, 1-4a
The time when the mother will give birth to her child.
From the Prophet Micah
This saith the Lord :
“Thou, Bethlehem Ephratah,
the least among Judah’s generations,
of thee shall be born
he who is to rule over Israel.
“In the distant past lies his origin,
in days long past.”
Therefore, the Lord will
no longer leave them to their fate
than until the time
when the mother has given birth to her child.
Then the rest of his brethren will come together again
with the sons of Israel.
Then he will take control
and will guard them
by the power of the Lord,
by the exalted name of the Lord his God.
In safety they will dwell,
because his power will reach
to the ends of the earth.
He will be a man of peace.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 13(12),6
I will rejoice and jubilate in the Lord (Isa. 61(10a))
I counted on Your mercy, Lord.
By thy assistance make me glad in heart,
then I will always sing Your benefits.
ALLELUIA
Alleluia.
Happy art thou, holy virgin Mary,
and worthy of all praise;
for of thee is born
The sun of righteousness,
Christ our Lord,
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt 1, 1-16,18-23 or 18-23
The child in her womb is of the Holy Spirit.
From the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew
Genesis of Jesus Christ,
son of David,
son of Abraham.
Abraham was the father of Isaac,
Isaac of Jacob,
Jacob of Judah and his brothers ;
Judah was the father of Peres and Zerach,
who were born of Tamar ;
Peres was the father of Chesron,
Chesron of Aram,
Aram of Amminadab,
Amminadab of Nachson,
Nachson of Salmon,
Salmon of Boaz, who was born of Rahab ;
Boaz was the father of Obed,
born of Ruth ;
Obed was the father of Isaï
And Isaï of David, the king.
David was the father of Solomon,
Solomon was the father of Rechabeam,
Rechabeam of Abia,
Abia of Asa,
Asa of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat of Joram,
Joram of Uzziah,
Uzziah of Jotam,
Jotam of Achaz,
Achaz of Hezekiah,
Hezekiah of Manasseh,
Manasseh of Amon,
Amon of Josiah,
Josiah of Jechoniah and his brothers,
during the time of the Babylonian exile.
After the Babylonian exile
Jechoniah became the father of Sealtiel,
Sealtiel of Zerubabel,
Zerubabel of Abihud,
Abihud of Eljakim,
Eljakim of Azor,
Azor of Sadok,
Sadok of Achim,
Achim of Eliud,
Eliud of Eleazar,
Eleazar of Mattan,
Mattan of Jacob.
Now Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,
and of her was born Jesus,
who is called Christ.
The birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way :
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph
she appeared, before they went to live together,
pregnant with the Holy Spirit.
Because Joseph, her husband, was righteous
and did not want to compromise her,
he considered
quietly divorcing her.
While he was contemplating this,
an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream
who spoke to him :
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary, your wife, to yourself ;
the child in her womb is of the Holy Spirit.
“She will give birth to a son whom you must name Jesus ,
for he shall save his people from their sins.”
All this was done so that it might be fulfilled
what the Lord has spoken through the prophet, saying :
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive
and bring a son into the world ,
and they shall give Him the name Immanuel.”
That is in translation :
God with us.
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Laudato Si
Encyclic of
POPE FRANCIS
On caring for the common home
39. The replacement of wild flora with areas of forest planting, which are usually monocultures, is also not usually the subject of adequate analysis. In reality, this replacement can seriously affect biodiversity that is not accepted by the species being planted. Similarly, wetlands that are turned into agricultural areas lose tremendous biodiversity that they were home to. In some coastal areas, the disappearance of ecosystems formed by mangroves is worrying.
To be continued
The Bible text in this issue is taken from The New Translation of the Bible,
©Dutch Bible Society 2004/2007.
Considerations from Liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
Laudato Si Official English translation
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