Reading 1
Gn 49:2, 8-10
Jacob called his sons and said to them:
“Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob,
listen to Israel, your father.
“You, Judah, shall your brothers praise
–your hand on the neck of your enemies;
the sons of your father shall bow down to you.
Judah, like a lion’s whelp,
you have grown up on prey, my son.
He crouches like a lion recumbent,
the king of beasts–who would dare rouse him?
The scepter shall never depart from Judah,
or the mace from between his legs,
While tribute is brought to him,
and he receives the people’s homage.”
Ps 72:1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17
Responsorial PsalmR. (see 7)
Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
The mountains shall yield peace for the people,
and the hills justice.
He shall defend the afflicted among the people,
save the children of the poor.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.
Gospel
Mt 1:1-17
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.
Thus the total number of generations
from Abraham to David
is fourteen generations;
from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations;
from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,
fourteen generations.
Meditation: Matthew 1:1-17
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ.” (Matthew 1:1)
Because this passage is a genealogy, it’s easy to gloss over it so that we can get on to the “good stuff.” However, a closer look reveals that Matthew wasn’t just recounting Jesus’ earthly lineage; he was heralding a dramatic break with the past, even as he showed Jesus to be in the line of Abraham and David.
At first glance, we might say that Matthew wrote a genealogy much like the other Jewish genealogies of his time. He rooted Jesus in the heritage of his people and highlighted his continuity with all the great figures of Israel.
But a closer look shows that Matthew also broke with that tradition. Rather than just following the fathers, he mentioned four mothers as well: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. And what’s more, these women’s personal histories did not always reflect the Jewish ideal of womanhood—just like many of the men. One woman was reputed to be a prostitute; another became pregnant by a ruse she played on her father-in-law; at least three were foreigners; and one was either a victim of lust or a consenting partner to adultery and conspiracy.
Matthew included these women as a way to take his readers by surprise. He wanted to show that in Christ God has radically departed from human expectations and brought about something new and different.
During this time of Advent preparation, take some time to ponder how God may be trying to take you beyond your expectations. He may want to do something miraculous in your family as you come to him in prayer. He may want to help you look at your non-Catholic brothers and sisters in a new and more generous light. He may want to open your eyes to see his face in the poor and the outcast.
Christmas is only eight days away, but it’s not too late to get ready. Ask God to give you a new perspective on the extraordinary situations in your life. Expect him to show himself not just when you pray and attend Mass but all throughout your day. Let your “spiritual genealogy” become just as surprising as Jesus’ physical genealogy!
“Jesus, you are the author and perfecter of my faith. My life rests in you alone.”
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