Daily Readings - Mon Dec 17 2018
Genesis
2Gather together and listen, O sons of Jacob. Listen to Israel, your father8Judah, your brothers will praise you. Your hand will be at the necks of your enemies; the sons of your father will reverence you9Judah is a lion’s young. You have gone up to the prey, my son. While resting, you have lain like a lion. And just like a lioness, who would rouse him10The scepter from Judah and the leader from his thigh will not be taken away, until he who will be sent arrives, and he will be the expectation of Gentiles
Matthew
1The book of the lineage of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham2Abraham conceived Isaac. And Isaac conceived Jacob. And Jacob conceived Judah and his brothers3And Judah conceived Perez and Zerah by Tamar. And Perez conceived Hezron. And Hezron conceived Ram4And Ram conceived Amminadab. And Amminadab conceived Nahshon. And Nahshon conceived Salmon5And Salmon conceived Boaz by Rahab. And Boaz conceived Obed by Ruth. And Obed conceived Jesse6And Jesse conceived king David. And king David conceived Solomon, by her who had been the wife of Uriah7And Solomon conceived Rehoboam. And Rehoboam conceived Abijah. And Abijah conceived Asa8And Asa conceived Jehoshaphat. And Jehoshaphat conceived Joram. And Joram conceived Uzziah9And Uzziah conceived Jotham. And Jotham conceived Ahaz. And Ahaz conceived Hezekiah10And Hezekiah conceived Manasseh. And Manasseh conceived Amos. And Amos conceived Josiah11And Josiah conceived Jechoniah and his brothers in the transmigration of Babylon12And after the transmigration of Babylon, Jechoniah conceived Shealtiel. And Shealtiel conceived Zerubbabel13And Zerubbabel conceived Abiud. And Abiud conceived Eliakim. And Eliakim conceived Azor14And Azor conceived Zadok. And Zadok conceived Achim. And Achim conceived Eliud15And Eliud conceived Eleazar. And Eleazar conceived Matthan. And Matthan conceived Jacob16And Jacob conceived Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ17And so, all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the transmigration of Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the transmigration of Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the unfolding of God’s plan and the significance of lineage in the story of salvation. In the first reading from Genesis, Jacob gathers his sons to bless them, focusing particularly on Judah. He prophesies that Judah will be a leader, a lion’s cub, and that the scepter of leadership will remain with him until the one to whom it belongs comes. This passage is rich with Messianic overtones, pointing to the ultimate leader who will arise from Judah’s line.
The Gospel reading from Matthew is the genealogy of Jesus Christ, tracing his lineage from Abraham to Joseph, the husband of Mary. This list of names may seem dry at first glance, but it is deeply meaningful. It shows how Jesus is rooted in the history of God’s people, connecting him to great figures like Abraham, David, and Ruth. It also reminds us that even in the messy and imperfect lives of those who came before him, God was preparing the way for the Savior. The structure of the genealogy—divided into three sets of fourteen generations—underscores the divine order and purpose behind Jesus’ birth.
These readings together teach us about the patience and providence of God. The promise made to Judah in Genesis is fulfilled in Jesus, as Matthew’s genealogy makes clear. This reminds us that our lives, like the lives of those in the genealogy, are part of a larger story. We may not always see the full picture, but we can trust that God is working through us to bring about his plan. Let us reflect on how we might cooperate with God’s will in our own lives, just as the ancestors of Jesus played their part in preparing the way for him. May we, like Judah, trust in God’s timing and leadership, knowing that he is always at work, even when we cannot see the fullness of his plan.