Invitation
May I draw your attention to
The daily reading of the Gospel
This invitation seeks to convey the joy
of the Gospel. Everyone, without exception
can experience that joy by opening his or her heart
to the healing power of the Word of God.
Available every day
Consideration
From 17 December, we experience Christmas in a different key. We have the O antiphons and the grand old stories about the Messiah. Today we have the blessing of Jacob with the text pronounced for Judah. ‘The sceptre will not depart from Judah, the staff will not disappear from between his feet, until someone appears who can carry it: the nations obey him’. Allusion to David’s kingship. The response psalm is a king’s psalm and hooks into it, and the gospel gives the genealogy of Jesus starting with Judah. It is the royal tradition in messianic expectation.
FIRST READING Genesis 49.1a-2.8-10
The sceptre will not depart from Judah.
From the book of Genesis
In those days Jacob called
his sons and spoke:
‘Come together now and listen, O sons of Jacob,
listen here to Israel, your father.
Judah, you are praised by your brothers
your hand oppresses the neck of your enemies,
the sons of your father are bowed down before you.
Judah is a lion’s cub;
Thou comest with robbery, my son!
He stoops, he lies down like a lion
as the king of beasts; who dares to raise him up?
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah
The staff shall not disappear between his feet,
until he appears who carries it:
Him the nations obey.’
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 72(71), 2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17
Righteousness will flourish in his days
And prosperity everywhere till the end of the months.
My God, grant to the king your wisdom
To the king’s son your righteousness.
May he rule your people with justice
your poor with justice.
Then peace will flow from the mountains
and justice from the hills.
He will protect the lowly people
He will deliver the children of the poor.
Justice will flourish in His days
and prosperity everywhere until the end of the months.
He will rule from sea to sea
from the river to the ends of the earth.
Eternally his name will be praised
in honour as long as there are days.
His name will be a blessing to all tribes,
mentioned with praise to all nations.
ALLELUIA
Alleluia.
Wisdom of the Most High
You rule all things with power and insight;
Come and teach us the way of knowledge and wisdom.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt 1, 1-17
Genesis of Jesus Christ, son of David.
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 Peresh and Zerach,
who were born of Tamar.
Peresh 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 Jesse
and Jesse of David, the king.
David was the father of Solomon,
who was born of the wife of Uriah.
Solomon was the father of Rechabeam,
Rechabeam of Abijah,
Abijah of Asa,
Asa of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat of Joram,
Joram of Uzziah,
Uzziah of Jotham
Jotham of Achaz
Achaz of Hezekiah
Hezekiah of Manasseh,
Manasseh of Amon,
Amon of Josiah,
Josiah of Jechonia and his brothers,
at the time of the Babylonian exile.
After the Babylonian exile
Jechonia became the father of Seáltiel,
Seáltiel of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel of Abiud,
Abiud of Eljakim,
Eljakim of Azor,
Azor of Zadok,
Zadok of Achim,
Achim of Eliud,
Eliud of Eleazar,
Eleazar of Mattan,
Mattan of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,
and of her was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
In total, then, from Abraham to David there are
fourteen generations,
from David to the Babylonian captivity
also fourteen generations
and from the Babylonian captivity to the Christ
also fourteen generations.
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Fratelli tutti
Encyclical of
POPE FRANCISCUS
On brotherhood and social friendship
130. This implies some indispensable responses, especially towards
those fleeing serious humanitarian crises. For example
expansion and simplification of visa issuance, the private
and joint assistance programmes, setting up humanitarian corridors open to the most vulnerable refugees,
providing adequate and dignified housing, providing personal safety
housing, personal safety and access to guaranteeing
services, ensuring adequate consular assistance and
the right to carry personal identity documents at all times, the ability to
access to justice, the ability to open bank accounts and the
guarantee of the necessary necessities of life, their
freedom of movement and the ability to work, protection of minors and
guarantee their regular access to education,
programmes for temporary guardianship or foster care, guaranteeing
freedom of religion, promote their social integration, support family reunification and
local communities for integration processes.
Continued
Every day at 1 am
The Bible text of this publication is taken from The New Translation of the Bible,
©Dutch Bible Society 2004/2007.
Reflections on liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
Fratelli tutti Official English Translation
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