Daily Readings - Tue Dec 17 2019
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 take us on a journey through the tapestry of God’s plan, weaving together the past, present, and future. In the first reading from Genesis, Jacob gathers his sons to bless them, and his words to Judah stand out. He speaks of Judah as a lion, a symbol of strength and courage, and declares that the scepter of leadership will remain with Judah until the one comes who is to be sent—the Messiah. This passage is a prophecy, a promise that God will raise up a leader from the tribe of Judah who will bring hope and salvation to His people.
In the Gospel, Matthew provides a genealogy of Jesus Christ, tracing His lineage from Abraham to Joseph, the husband of Mary. This list of names, though it may seem dry at first glance, is anything but ordinary. It is a testament to God’s faithfulness across generations, showing how He worked through the lives of ordinary people—some faithful, some flawed—to bring about the extraordinary gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. The genealogy reminds us that Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise made to Judah, the Lion who would come to reign not with a physical scepter but with the power of love and redemption.
As we reflect on these readings, we are invited to see ourselves as part of God’s ongoing story. Just as the ancestors of Jesus were called to trust in God’s plan, we too are called to trust in His providence, even when the path ahead is unclear. The readings remind us that leadership, true leadership, is not about power but about service and love. Jesus, the Lion of Judah, shows us what it means to lead with humility and compassion. Let us strive to follow His example, trusting in God’s faithfulness and living as people of hope and love in a world that so desperately needs it.