Gospel: Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23
The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham became the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar.
Perez became the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab.
Boaz became the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse,
Jesse the father of David the king.
David became the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asaph.
Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amos,
Amos the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers
at the time of the Babylonian exile.
After the Babylonian exile,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.
Abiud became the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok.
Zadok became the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar became the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.
Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
The Mass intention is for Mother Francesca’s intentions.
Reflection:
A priest friend once asked me if I know Our Lady’s surname. I told him people during Mary’s time do not have surnames. He insisted she has. Clueless, I asked “What is it then?”. He answered “Christmas”. As in Mary Christmas. Indeed, Christmas (the Birth of Jesus) would not have been possible without Mary. Today’s Gospel highlights Mary’s role as mother of “Jesus who is called the Christ”. Each of us has been called by God to a particular vocation. Mary’s vocation is special and important because it did not only benefit her or her family, but everyone. Sr Mary Jean Dorcy, OP wrote: “To us looking back, as those patriarchs looking ahead for the long four thousand years, Mary is the dawning, Christ the perfect day. Dark as the world may seem today, it can never be quite dark again since Mary came on earth. Mary, whose birth was the dawning of hope for mankind, brought to us the light of the world”. At times such as during the pandemic, when we are often tempted to despair, may Our Lady’s Birth inspire us to carry on, to keep believing in Jesus, and to remain united with Him.
- How do you unite yourself with God daily?
- How does your vocation help bring Jesus to the world?
- “You can never be only all for Jesus if your love for Our Lady is not a living reality” (St Teresa of Calcutta). How can you become closer to Mary?
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word today. Through the prayers and example of Mary, make us bearers of Your light for our world in dire need of it. Amen.
Happy birthday, Mama Mary! “Make me only all for Jesus” (St Teresa of Calcutta). Amen.
Sincerely,
Pietro
