Daily Readings - Sat Dec 17 2022
Genesis
2"Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.8"Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons will bow down to you.9You are a lion's cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness-who dares to rouse him?10The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.
Matthew
1A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:2Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,3Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,4Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon,5Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,6and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife,7Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,8Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah,9Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,10Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah,11and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.12After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,13Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor,14Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud,15Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob,16and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.17Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.
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.