Saint Peter Claver, SJ, was a member of the Society of Jesus and is the patron of African missions and of interracial justice, due to his work with slaves in Colombia.
Entrance Antiphon Ps 118: 137, 124
You are just, O Lord, and your judgement is right; treat your servant in accord with your merciful love.
Collect
O God, by whom we are redeemed and receive adoption, look graciously upon your beloved sons and daughters, that those who believe in Christ may receive true freedom and an everlasting inheritance. 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 : Colossians 2:6-15
You must live your whole life according to the Christ you have received – Jesus the Lord; you must be rooted in him and built on him and held firm by the faith you have been taught, and full of thanksgiving. Make sure that no one traps you and deprives you of your freedom by some second-hand, empty, rational philosophy based on the principles of this world instead of on Christ. In his body lives the fullness of divinity, and in him you too find your own fulfilment, in the one who is the head of every Sovereignty and Power. In him you have been circumcised, with a circumcision not performed by human hand, but by the complete stripping of your body of flesh. This is circumcision according to Christ. You have been buried with him, when you were baptised; and by baptism, too, you have been raised up with him through your belief in the power of God who raised him from the dead. You were dead, because you were sinners and had not been circumcised: he has brought you to life with him, he has forgiven us all our sins.
He has overridden the Law, and cancelled every record of the debt that we had to pay; he has done away with it by nailing it to the cross; and so he got rid of the Sovereignties and the Powers, and paraded them in public, behind him in his triumphal procession.
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 144(145):1-2,8-11
R/ How good is the Lord to all.
I will give you glory, O God my king,I will bless your name for ever.I will bless you day after dayand praise your name for ever.
The Lord is kind and full of compassion,slow to anger, abounding in love.How good is the Lord to all,compassionate to all his creatures.
All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,and your friends shall repeat their blessing.They shall speak of the glory of your reignand declare your might, O God.
Gospel Acclamation : Ph2:15-16
Alleluia, alleluia! You will shine in the world like bright stars because you are offering it the word of life. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 6:12-19
Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them ‘apostles’: Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor. He then came down with them and stopped at a piece of level ground where there was a large gathering of his disciples with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judaea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon who had come to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. People tormented by unclean spirits were also cured, and everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him because power came out of him that cured them all.
Prayer over the Offerings
O God, who give us the gift of true prayer and of peace, graciously grant that through this offering, we may do fitting homage to your divine majesty and, by partaking of the sacred mystery, we may be faithfully united in mind and heart. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ps 41: 2-3
Like the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God; my soul is thirsting for God, the living God.
Prayer after Communion
Grant that your faithful, O Lord, whom you nourish and endow with life through the food of your Word and heavenly Sacrament, may so benefit from your beloved Son’s great gifts that we may merit an eternal share in his life. Who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Meditation
“When day came, He summoned His disciples and picked out twelve of them.” This act of Jesus’ calls to mind the promises I made to Jesus during my Baptism. I am reminded of the weight and significance of a promise, knowing that Jesus always keeps His promises! I am challenged to revisit the promises I have made and continue making to fellow children of God. Am I aware that these commitments are made to Jesus Himself? How many of them have I kept, and how many do I intend to honour? Lord Jesus, guide me to always seek Your counsel before making any promise to others.
Adrian was a pagan officer of Nicomedia. Impressed by the courage of a group of Christians who were being tortured, he declared himself a Christian and was imprisoned with them before he was put to death. Adrian is the patron of soldiers and butchers.
Entrance Antiphon
Let us celebrate with joy the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for from her arose the sun of justice, Christ our God.
Collect
Impart to your servants, we pray, O Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin may bring deeper peace to those for whom the birth of her Sonwas the dawning of salvation. 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 : Micah 5:1-4
The Lord says this: But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, the least of the clans of Judah, out of you will be born for me the one who is to rule over Israel; his origin goes back to the distant past, to the days of old. The Lord is therefore going to abandon them till the time when she who is to give birth gives birth. Then the remnant of his brothers will come back to the sons of Israel. He will stand and feed his flock with the power of the Lord, with the majesty of the name of his God. They will live secure, for from then on he will extend his power to the ends of the land. He himself will be peace.
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 12(13):6-7
R/ I exult for joy in the Lord.
Lord, I trust in your merciful love. Let my heart rejoice in your saving help.
Let me sing to the Lord for his goodness to me, singing psalms to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, and most worthy of all praise, for the sun of justice, Christ our God, was born of you. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 1:1-16,18-23
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. 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.’
Prayer over the Offerings
May the humanity of your Only Begotten Son come, O Lord, to our aid, and may he, who at his birth from the Blessed Virgin did not diminish but consecrated her integrity, by taking from us now our wicked deeds, make our oblation acceptable to you. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon Is 7: 14; Mt 1: 21
Behold, the Virgin will bear a son, who will save his people from their sins.
Prayer after Communion
May your Church exult, O Lord, for you have renewed her with these sacred mysteries, as she rejoices in the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was the hope and the daybreak of salvation for all the world. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife,” the Angel reassures Joseph. On this special occasion of your birthday, Mother Mary, I earnestly implore you to grant me the strength to resist the temptation to neglect you. Whenever such temptation comes, give me the strength to cry out, like blind Bartimaeus: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Toute naissance est source de joie et motif d’action de grâce envers le Dieu vivant qui a appelé le nouveau-né à la vie et l’appelle à partager la vie éternelle. La naissance de Marie suscite dans l’Église une joie et une action de grâce spéciales. Remplie du Saint-Esprit dès sa conception, celle qui naît est déjà la fille de Dieu et est appelée à être la Mère du Sauveur, le Fils unique de Dieu.
Antienne d’ouverture
Célébrons dans la joie la naissance de la Vierge Marie : par elle nous est venu le Soleil de justice, le Christ notre Dieu.
Prière d’ouverture
Ouvre à tes serviteurs, Dieu très bon, tes richesses de grâce ; puisque la maternité de la Vierge Marie fut pour nous le commencement du salut, que la fête de sa nativité nous apporte un surcroit de paix. Par Jésus.
1ère lecture : Mi 5, 1-4a
Parole du Seigneur : Toi, Bethléem Éphrata, le plus petit des clans de Juda, c’est de toi que sortira pour moi celui qui doit gouverner Israël. Ses origines remontent aux temps anciens, aux jours d’autrefois. Mais Dieu livrera son peuple jusqu’au jour où enfantera… celle qui doit enfanter, et ceux de ses frères qui resteront rejoindront les fils d’Israël. Il se dressera et il sera leur berger par la puissance du Seigneur, par la majesté du nom du Seigneur, son Dieu. Ils habiteront en sécurité, car désormais il sera grand jusqu’aux lointains de la terre, et lui-même, il sera la paix !
Psaume : 12 (13), 6ab, 6c
R/ J’exulterai de joie en Dieu, mon Seigneur.
Moi, je prends appui sur ton amour; que mon cœur ait la joie de ton salut!
Je chanterai le Seigneur pour le bien qu’il m’a fait.
Acclamation :
Alléluia. Alléluia. Heureuse es-tu, sainte Vierge Marie, tu es digne de toute louange : de toi s’est levé le soleil de justice, le Christ notre Dieu. Alléluia.
Évangile : Mt 1, 1-16.18-23
Voici la table des origines de Jésus Christ, fils de David, fils d’Abraham. Abraham engendra Isaac, Isaac engendra Jacob, Jacob engendra Juda et ses frères, Juda, de son union avec Thamar, engendra Pharès et Zara, Pharès engendra Esrom, Esrom engendra Aram, Aram engendra Aminadab, Aminadab engendra Naassone, Naassone engendra Salmone, Salmone, de son union avec Rahab, engendra Booz, Booz, de son union avec Ruth, engendra Jobed, Jobed engendra Jessé, Jessé engendra le roi David. David, de son union avec la femme d’Ourias, engendra Salomon, Salomon engendra Roboam, Roboam engendra Abia, Abia engendra Asa, Asa engendra Josaphat, Josaphat engendra Joram, Joram engendra Ozias, Ozias engendra Joatham, Joatham engendra Acaz, Acaz engendra Ézékias, Ézékias engendra Manassé, Manassé engendra Amone, Amone engendra Josias, Josias engendra Jékonias et ses frères à l’époque de l’exil à Babylone. Après l’exil à Babylone, Jékonias engendra Salathiel, Salathiel engendra Zorobabel, Zorobabel engendra Abioud, Abioud engendra Éliakim, Éliakim engendra Azor, Azor engendra Sadok, Sadok engendra Akim, Akim engendra Élioud, Élioud engendra Éléazar, Éléazar engendra Mattane, Mattane engendra Jacob, Jacob engendra Joseph, l’époux de Marie, de laquelle fut engendré Jésus, que l’on appelle Christ. Voici comment fut engendré Jésus Christ : Marie, sa mère, avait été accordée en mariage à Joseph; avant qu’ils aient habité ensemble, elle fut enceinte par l’action de l’Esprit Saint. Joseph, son époux, qui était un homme juste, et ne voulait pas la dénoncer publiquement, décida de la renvoyer en secret. Comme il avait formé ce projet, voici que l’ange du Seigneur lui apparut en songe et lui dit: « Joseph, fils de David, ne crains pas de prendre chez toi Marie, ton épouse, puisque l’enfant qui est engendré en elle vient de l’Esprit Saint ; elle enfantera un fils, et tu lui donneras le nom de Jésus (c’est-à-dire : Le-Seigneur-sauve), car c’est lui qui sauvera son peuple de ses péchés. » Tout cela est arrivé pour que soit accomplie la parole du Seigneur prononcée par le prophète : Voici que la Vierge concevra, et elle enfantera un fils ; on lui donnera le nom d’Emmanuel, qui se traduit : « Dieu-avec-nous ».
Prière sur les offrandes
Dans son amour pour les hommes, que ton Fils unique vienne à notre secours, Seigneur ; puisque sa naissance n’a pas altéré mais a consacré la virginité de sa mère, qu’il nous délivre aujourd’hui de nos péchés et te rende agréable cette offrande. Lui qui.
Antienne de communion : Ps 41
Voici que la Vierge enfantera un fils; c’est lui qui sauvera son peuple de ses péchés.
Prière après la communion
Par cette communion, seigneur, tu refais les forces de ton Eglise ; donne-lui d’exulter de joie, heureuse de la nativité de la Vierge Marie qui fit lever sur le monde l’espérance et l’aurore du salut. Par Jésus.
Méditation
La naissance d’un être spécial
La naissance de chaque personne est spécialement planifiée par Dieu, que vous le croyiez ou non. Nous ne sommes pas simplement jetés dans le monde, indépendamment de ce que nos parents pensent lorsque nous avons été conçus. Dieu a planifié toute notre vie même avant de nous créer. Aujourd’hui, nous célébrons la naissance de Marie, notre mère, dont la naissance est préparée par Dieu et une intervention spéciale est faite par le mérite de son Fils Jésus afin que par son Fils, elle soit sauvée du péché originel. Pour tous ceux qui appartiennent à la généalogie de Jésus, leur naissance et toutes leurs interventions dans la vie ne font que prouver ce point. Tout comme la naissance de Marie, en raison du rôle qu’elle doit jouer dans l’histoire du salut, toutes les naissances sont uniquement planifiées par Dieu.
