by L'équipe de publication | Dec 23, 2024 | Evangelium
Saint Adele
Purple
She was a widow. A daughter of King Dagobert II of Germany, Adele became a nun upon the death of her husband. After a devout life filled with good works and communion with God, she passed on to her heavenly reward in 730.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Gal 4: 4
Behold, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son into the world.
Collect
Come quickly, we pray, Lord Jesus, and do not delay, that those who trust in your compassion may find solace and relief in your coming. Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First Reading : 2 Samuel 7:1-5. 8-12.14.16
Once David had settled into his house and the Lord had given him rest from all the enemies surrounding him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘Look, I am living in a house of cedar while the ark of God dwells in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go and do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.’ But that very night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: ‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus the Lord speaks: Are you the man to build me a house to dwell in? I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be a leader of my people Israel; I have been with you on all your expeditions I have cut off all your enemies before you. I will give you fame as great as the fame of the greatest on earth. I will provide a place for my people Israel; I will plant them there and they shall dwell in that place and never be disturbed again; nor shall the wicked continue to oppress them as they did, in the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel; I will give them rest from all their enemies. The Lord will make you great; the Lord will make you a House. And when your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. I will be a father to him and he a son to me. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever”.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 88(89):2-5,27,29
R/ I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord; through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth. Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever, that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.
‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant; I will establish your dynasty for ever and set up your throne through all ages.’
He will say to me: ‘You are my father, my God, the rock who saves me.’ I will keep my love for him always; for him my covenant shall endure.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! Morning star, Radiance of eternal light, Sun of justice, come and enlighten those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 1:67-79
John’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited his people, he has come to their rescue and he has raised up for us a power for salvation in the House of his servant David, even as he proclaimed, by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times, that he would save us from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us. Thus he shows mercy to our ancestors, thus he remembers his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham that he would grant us, free from fear, to be delivered from the hands of our enemies, to serve him in holiness and virtue in his presence, all our days. And you, little child, you shall be called Prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way for him. To give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins; this by the tender mercy of our God who from on high will bring the rising Sun to visit us, to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Graciously make your own, O Lord, the offerings which we bring, that, partaking of them, we be cleansed of our sins and merit to stand ready with pure hearts for the coming in glory of your Son. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Communion Antiphon : Lk 1: 68
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel! He has visited his people and redeemed them.
Prayer after Communion
Grant to us who find new vigour, O Lord, in these your wondrous gifts, that, as we prepare to celebrate in adoration the festivities of your Son’s Nativity, so we may possess in gladness his everlasting rewards. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
The mouth of Zachariah that was opened yesterday enabled him to minister in the Temple as a priest of the Most High and to sing his praises. Combining the two offices of priest and father of the house, he declares the fulfilment of the promises of God in the person of the newborn John. It could be that the long silence of Zachariah enabled him to listen more to God and enter into a mystical union with him which his many activities of previous years did not privilege him to do. These wise sayings of his must have been the ruminations of his heart all this while. And as we said a few days ago, God has already prepared for John a privileged background in the persons of Zachariah and Elizabeth. Since the parents already know the mission of this child, they can lead him to achieve this height. Blessed are all who teach others the way of righteousness.
by L'équipe de publication | Dec 22, 2024 | Evangelium
Saint John of Kęty, Priest
(1390 – 1473)
O Emmanuel !
Purple
He was born in kety in the diocese of Kraków in 1390. He became a priest and for many years taught at the University of Kraków; later he became parish priest of Olkusz. He taught and researched in both physics and theology and excelled in holiness and in charity towards his neighbour, in which he was an example to his colleagues and pupils. He died in 1473.
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Is 9: 5; Ps 71: 17
A child shall be born for us, and he will be called God, the Almighty; every tribe of the earth shall be blest in him.
Collect
Almighty ever-living God, as we see how the Nativity of your Son according to the flesh draws near, we pray that to us, your unworthy servants, mercy may flow from your Word, who chose to become flesh of the Virgin Mary and establish among us his dwelling, Jesus Christ our Lord. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Malachi 3:1-4,23-24
The Lord God says this: Look, I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way before me. And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple; and the angel of the covenant whom you are longing for, yes, he is coming, says the Lord of Hosts. Who will be able to resist the day of his coming? Who will remain standing when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire and the fullers’ alkali. He will take his seat as refiner and purifier; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and then they will make the offering to the Lord as it should be made. The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will then be welcomed by the Lord as in former days, as in the years of old. Know that I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before my day comes, that great and terrible day. He shall turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the hearts of children towards their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a curse.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 24(25):4-5,8-9,10,14
R/ Stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.
Lord, make me know your ways. Lord, teach me your paths. Make me walk in your truth, and teach me: for you are God my saviour.
The Lord is good and upright. He shows the path to those who stray, He guides the humble in the right path, He teaches his way to the poor.
His ways are faithfulness and love for those who keep his covenant and law. The Lord’s friendship is for those who revere him; to them he reveals his covenant.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! King of the peoples and cornerstone of the Church, come and save man, whom you made from the dust of the earth. Alleluia!
Gospel: Luke 1:57-66
The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness, they shared her joy. Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. ‘No,’ she said ‘he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘But no one in your family has that name’, and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they were all astonished. At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. ‘What will this child turn out to be?’ they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.
Prayer over the Offerings
May this oblation, by which divine worship in its fullness has been inaugurated for us, be our perfect reconciliation with you, O Lord, that we may celebrate with minds made pure the Nativity of our Redeemer. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Communion Antiphon: Rv 3: 20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears my voice and opens the door to me, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.
Prayer after Communion
Grant your peace, O Lord, to those you have nourished with these heavenly gifts, that we may be ready, with lighted lamps, to meet your dearly beloved Son at his coming. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
Sometimes misfortune comes in twos and threes. In such moments, help seems far-fetched. This must have been the experience of the family of Zachariah as they contemplate their barrenness and old age. At other times, however, there is a mixture of fortune and misfortune. This is typified by the combination of the happenings in this same family. The pregnancy of Elizabeth coincided with the inability of Zachariah to speak. These events readily speak to a good number of us. At times, when we feel we can relax and enjoy the good things of life, something comes from the blues to disrupt this joy. Luckily, the concluding verses of today’s reading give us hope that even in these times, the hand of God is still leading us. The naming of John opened the mouth of Zachariah. He can go ahead with his services of God in the Temple. What a double blessing!
by L'équipe de publication | Dec 19, 2024 | Evangelium
Blessed Scubilion (1797 – 1867)
O Clavis David !
Purple
Born in France in 1797, He joined the Brothers of Christian Instruction and was given the name Scubilion. In 1833 he was sent to the Isle of Réunion, where he remained until his death in 1867. In Réunion he was named “the catechist of the slaves” on account of his ministry among them.
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Is 11: 1; 40: 5; Lk 3: 6
A branch shall sprout from the root of Jesse, and the glory of the Lord will fill the whole earth, and all flesh will see the salvation of God.
Collect
O God, eternal majesty, whose ineffable Word the immaculate Virgin received through the message of an Angel and so became the dwelling-place of divinity, filled with the light of the Holy Spirit, grant, we pray, that by her example we may in humility hold fast to your will. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Isaiah 7:10-14
The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.’ ‘No,’ Ahaz answered ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’ Then Isaiah said: ‘Listen now, House of David: are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men without trying the patience of my God, too? The Lord himself, therefore, will give you a sign. It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Immanuel, a name which means “God-is-with-us.”’
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
23(24):1-6
R/ Let the Lord enter! He is the king of glory.
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, the world and all its peoples. It is he who set it on the seas; on the waters he made it firm.
Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place? The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things.
He shall receive blessings from the Lord and reward from the God who saves him. Such are the men who seek him, seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! Emmanuel, our king and lawgiver, come and save us, Lord our God.
Alleluia!
Gospel: Luke 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.
Prayer over the Offerings
Look, O Lord, we pray, upon the one sacrifice of your Son, that, by participating in this mystery, we may possess at last the gifts we have awaited and for which our faith bids us hope. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Lk 1: 31
The Angel said to Mary: Behold, you will conceive and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.
Prayer after Communion
Grant divine protection, O Lord, to those you renew with this heavenly gift, that to those who delight in your mysteries you may give the joy of true peace. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Though the yuletide events described in the Bible seem to defy modern common sense, they may not be far-fetched from present-day experiences. God continues to seek and find his people from one end of the earth to the other. It was the turn of Zachariah yesterday, and today it is the turn of Mary. In this encounter, the question that bothered Mary was how she could conceive without knowing any man. The question that bothers many modern young girls is the possibility of knowing as many men as possible without conceiving. The life of Mary enabled her to be overshadowed by the power of the most high. Can this overshadowing imply the impossibility of another man entering into this holy sanctuary (cf. Ex. 40:35)?
by L'équipe de publication | Dec 18, 2024 | Evangelium
Saint Nemesius
O Radix Iesse !
Purple
Martyr of Egypt. He was burned alive in Alexandria, Egypt, during the persecutions under Emperor Trajanus Decius. Nemesius was arrested and scourged and then burned to death. Like Christ, he was executed between two criminals.
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Heb 10: 37
He who is to come will come and will not delay, and now there will be no fear within our land, for he is our Saviour.
Collect
O God, who through the child-bearing of the holy Virgin graciously revealed the radiance of your glory to the world, grant, we pray, that we may venerate with integrity of faith
the mystery of so wondrous an Incarnation and always celebrate it with due reverence. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Judges 13:2-7,24-25
There was a man of Zorah of the tribe of Dan, called Manoah. His wife was barren, she had borne no children. The angel of the Lord appeared to this woman and said to her, ‘You are barren and have had no child. But from now on take great care. Take no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. For you will conceive and bear a son. No razor is to touch his head, for the boy shall be God’s nazirite from his mother’s womb. It is he who will begin to rescue Israel from the power of the Philistines.’ Then the woman went and told her husband, ‘A man of God has just come to me; his presence was like the presence of the angel of God, he was so majestic. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not reveal his name to me. But he said to me, “You will conceive and bear a son. From now on, take no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. For the boy shall be God’s nazirite from his mother’s womb to his dying day.”’ The woman gave birth to a son and called him Samson. The child grew, and the Lord blessed him; and the spirit of the Lord began to move him.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 70(71):3-6,16-17
R/My lips are filled with your praise, with your glory all the day long.
Be a rock where I can take refuge, a mighty stronghold to save me; for you are my rock, my stronghold. Free me from the hand of the wicked.
It is you, O Lord, who are my hope, my trust, O Lord, since my youth. On you I have leaned from my birth, from my mother’s womb you have been my help.
I will declare the Lord’s mighty deeds proclaiming your justice, yours alone. O God, you have taught me from my youth and I proclaim your wonders still.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! Root of Jesse, set up as a sign to the peoples, come to save us, and delay no more. Alleluia!
Gospel: Luke 1:5-25
In the days of King Herod of Judaea there lived a priest called Zechariah who belonged to the Abijah section of the priesthood, and he had a wife, Elizabeth by name, who was a descendant of Aaron. Both were worthy in the sight of God, and scrupulously observed all the commandments and observances of the Lord. But they were childless: Elizabeth was barren and they were both getting on in years. Now it was the turn of Zechariah’s section to serve, and he was exercising his priestly office before God when it fell to him by lot, as the ritual custom was, to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense there. And at the hour of incense the whole congregation was outside, praying. Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense. The sight disturbed Zechariah and he was overcome with fear. But the angel said to him, ‘Zechariah, do not be afraid, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you must name him John. He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink. Even from his mother’s womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will bring back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the disobedient back to the wisdom that the virtuous have, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.’ Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years.’ The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel who stand in God’s presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. Listen! Since you have not believed my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.’ Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he stayed in the sanctuary so long. When he came out he could not speak to them, and they realised that he had received a vision in the sanctuary. But he could only make signs to them, and remained dumb. When his time of service came to an end he returned home. Some time later his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept to herself. ‘The Lord has done this for me’ she said ‘now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered among men.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Look with favour, we pray, O Lord, on the offerings we lay upon your altars, that what we bring despite our weakness may be sanctified by your power. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Lk 1: 78-79
The Dawn from on high will visit us, guiding our feet in the way of peace.
Prayer after Communion
As we give thanks, almighty God, for these gifts you have bestowed, graciously arouse in us, we pray, the desire for those yet to come, that we may welcome the Nativity of our Saviour and honour it with minds made pure. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Zachariah and Elizabeth were from priestly stock. It should also be recalled that Mary is the cousin of Elizabeth. Not only did Zachariah and Elizabeth have blessed progenitors, but they were also both righteous and blameless before God. In this sort of environment, John the Baptist would later be planted. By way of contrast, while the angel appeared to Mary before the birth of Jesus, the angel here appeared to Zachariah and not to Elizabeth. Mary was found to be with a child before she came to live with Joseph, while Elizabeth is well advanced in years but has no child. What could have made Elizabeth childless? Does she have to break some ancient bonds and uproot some family trees? Her background was not the issue. Healing of family roots would not have done any good. Significantly, she was able to wait till the appointed time.
by L'équipe de publication | Dec 17, 2024 | Evangelium
Saint Flannan, Bishop
O Adonaï !
Purple
He is the patron saint of the diocese of Killaloe and its first bishop. He lived in the seventh century.
Entrance Antiphon
Christ our King is coming, he is the Lamb foretold by John.
Collect
Grant, we pray, almighty God, that we, who are weighed down from of old by slavery beneath the yoke of sin, may be set free by the newness of the long-awaited Nativity of your Only Begotten Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Jeremiah 23:5-8
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
R/ 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.
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.
Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel, who alone works wonders, ever blessed his glorious name. Let his glory fill the earth. Amen! Amen!
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
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.
Prayer over the Offerings
May the sacrifice to be offered to you, O Lord, make us acceptable to your name, that we may merit for all eternity to be the companions of Christ, by whose Death our own mortality was healed. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Communion Antiphon: Mt 1: 23
His name will be called Emmanuel, which means God-with-us.
Prayer after Communion
May we receive your mercy in the midst of your temple, O Lord, and show fitting honour
to the coming solemnities of our redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
After the genealogy of Jesus, today’s reading presents the immediate family of Jesus. The characterisation of Joseph as righteous is very instructive. Jesus has a good background. Like father like son, like parents like children. Can a bad tree produce good fruits? Another lesson today is the purpose of God in our lives. Before we are formed in the womb, God has given us the tasks he wants us to perform. It helps to discover this vocation from an early stage in life. Jesus will save his people from their sins. This task was clear to him and to his parents. This explains why Jesus did not look back even when the journey was very difficult for him. Let us ask God’s grace not to miss the track he has mapped out for us.
by L'équipe de publication | Dec 16, 2024 | Evangelium
Saint Josep Manyanet Y ViveS (1833-1901)
O Sapientia !
Purple
Priest and Founder of the Sons of the Holy Family and the Missionary Daughters of the Holy Family of which orders he is the Patron. At the age of five, José’s mother dedicated him to the Virgin Mary, and later entered the seminary while still a youth. He was Canonised on 16 May 2004 by Pope John Paul II
Entrance Antiphon: Cf. Is 49: 13
Rejoice, O heavens, and exult, O earth, for our Lord will come to show mercy to his poor.
Collect
O God, Creator and Redeemer of human nature, who willed that your Word should take flesh in an ever-virgin womb, look with favour on our prayers, that your Only Begotten Son, having taken to himself our humanity, may be pleased to grant us a share in his divinity. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Genesis 49:2,8-10
Jacob called his sons and said: ‘Gather round, sons of Jacob, and listen; listen to Israel your father. Judah, your brothers shall praise you: you grip your enemies by the neck, your father’s sons shall do you homage, Judah is a lion cub, you climb back, my son, from your kill; like a lion he crouches and lies down, or a lioness: who dare rouse him? The sceptre shall not pass from Judah, nor the mace from between his feet, until he come to whom it belongs, to whom the peoples shall render obedience.’
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 71(72):1-4,7-8,17
R/ In his days justice shall flourish, and peace till 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.
May the mountains bring forth peace for the people and the hills, justice. May he defend the poor of the people and save the children of the needy.
In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails. He shall rule from sea to sea, from the Great River to earth’s bounds.
May his name be blessed for ever and endure like the sun. Every tribe shall be blessed in him, all nations bless his name.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! Wisdom of the Most High, ordering all things with strength and gentleness, come and teach us the way of truth. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 1:1-17
A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, Tamar being their mother, Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon was the father of Boaz, Rahab being his mother, Boaz was the father of Obed, Ruth being his mother, Obed was the father of Jesse; and Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Azariah, Azariah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah; and Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers. Then the deportation to Babylon took place. After the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob; and Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ. The sum of generations is therefore: fourteen from Abraham to David; fourteen from David to the Babylonian deportation; and fourteen from the Babylonian deportation to Christ.
Prayer over the Offerings
Sanctify these gifts of your Church, O Lord, and grant that through these venerable mysteries we may be nourished with the bread of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Cf. Hg 2: 7
Behold, the Desired of all the nations will come, and the house of the Lord will be filled with glory.
Prayer after Communion
Nourished by these divine gifts, almighty God, we ask you to grant our desire: that, aflame with your Spirit, we may shine like bright torches before your Christ when he comes. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
It is important that Matthew begins his account of the life of Jesus with his genealogy. By identifying Jesus as the son of David, the son of Abraham, Matthew already implies the universalism of Jesus since through Abraham, the nations will find salvation (cf. Gen. 12:1-3; 17:1-8). This universalism is strengthened by the introduction of four women in the lineage. Any theology that relegates the position of women to the background may not be based on the evidence of Scriptures. Again, these women seem to be of foreign descent: Tamar (a Canaanite or Aramean), Rahab (a Canaanite), Ruth (a Moabite), and Bathsheba (a Hittite). Also to be accentuated is the fact that these women are of questionable character, although Ruth seems to be an exception (cf. Ruth 1:6; 2:11; 3:10; 4:11). Thus, the genealogy sets the stage for what is to be experienced later in the Gospel of Mt, namely, the reversal of established expectations and the incorporation of Gentiles.
