Daily Readings - Sat Dec 17 2022
Genesis
2Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.8Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee.9Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
Matthew
1The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.2Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;3And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;4And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;5And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;6And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;7And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;8And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;9And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;10And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;11And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:12And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;13And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;14And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;15And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;16And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.17So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the unfolding of God’s plan of salvation through the lens of lineage and prophecy. In the first reading from Genesis, Jacob gathers his sons to bless them, focusing particularly on Judah, to whom he prophesies a royal destiny. Jacob declares that the scepter of leadership will remain with Judah until the coming of the Messiah, who will be the expectation of the nations. This passage is rich with messianic anticipation, pointing to a future king from the tribe of Judah who will bring hope and salvation to all people.
The Gospel reading from Matthew presents the genealogy of Jesus Christ, tracing His lineage from Abraham through David to Joseph, the husband of Mary. This list of names, spanning generations, is more than just a historical record; it is a testament to God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. The structure of the genealogy, divided into three sets of fourteen generations, highlights the significance of Jesus as the culmination of Israel’s history. Through this lineage, Matthew emphasizes that Jesus is the Messiah, the one prophesied by Jacob, who would bring light not only to the Jewish people but also to the Gentiles.
These readings remind us that our lives are part of a larger story, a story of God’s providence and love. Just as the ancestors in Matthew’s genealogy played their roles in preparing the way for Jesus, we too are called to live in a way that reflects our faith and trust in God’s plan. Let us embrace our place in this ongoing story, striving to be instruments of hope and reconciliation in our own time, just as Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of all promises. May we, like Jacob, look to the future with confidence, knowing that God’s plan is always at work.