Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 17, 2024
First Reading: Genesis 49.2, 8-10
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.
Psalm 72
1Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness.2He will judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice.3The mountains will bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness.4He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.5He will endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations.6He will be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth.7In his days the righteous will flourish; prosperity will abound till the moon is no more.8He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.9The desert tribes will bow before him and his enemies will lick the dust.10The kings of Tarshish and of distant shores will bring tribute to him; the kings of Sheba and Seba will present him gifts.11All kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve him.12For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.13He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death.14He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.15Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long.16Let grain abound throughout the land; on the tops of the hills may it sway. Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon; let it thrive like the grass of the field.17May his name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed.18Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.19Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.20This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse.
Gospel: Matthew 1.1-17
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
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the rich tapestry of God’s plan and the fulfillment of His promises. The first reading from Genesis 49 presents Jacob’s final blessing to his sons, with a particular focus on Judah. Jacob prophesies that Judah will be a leader, and the scepter will not depart from him until the Messiah comes. This passage is set in the context of Jacob’s final moments, where he gathers his sons to impart his blessings and set the stage for the future of Israel. The emphasis on Judah is significant, as it points to the tribe from which the Messiah will come.
The Gospel reading from Matthew 1 provides a genealogy of Jesus Christ, tracing His lineage from Abraham to Joseph, the husband of Mary. This genealogy is not merely a list of names; it is a theological statement that situates Jesus within the story of Israel. By structuring the genealogy into three groups of fourteen generations, Matthew highlights the divine order and plan that culminates in the birth of Jesus. The inclusion of figures like Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth—women often overlooked or marginalized—underscores God’s inclusive and merciful nature. This genealogy reminds us that Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises made to Abraham and David, and that He is the long-awaited Messiah prophesied in the first reading.
As we reflect on these readings, we are called to trust in God’s plan, even when it unfolds in unexpected ways. The genealogy of Jesus reminds us that our lives, like those of the ancestors, are part of a larger story. Just as Judah’s tribe was chosen to bear the Messiah, we too are called to bear witness to God’s love and mercy in our own time. Let us embrace our role in this ongoing story, living with faith, hope, and trust in the God who fulfills His promises.