Dec. 17 - Friday - 3rd wk of Advent - "O Antiphons"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today’s Mass Readings draw us closer to the first coming of Jesus, the Word Incarnate, into the world. Those of us who pray the Liturgy of the Hours are happy to pray the “O Antiphons” in our Evening Prayer beginning tonight, Dec. 17 until Dec. 23. At Mass we hear a reference to the First Antiphon for the Canticle of Mary in the Alleluia Verse before the Gospel. Let us pray fervently during these final days of Advent, by God’s Grace, listening to God’s Word as Mary did and doing the Truth we hear.

Reading I - (Gn 49:2, 8-10)

Jacob called his sons and said to them: “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob, listen to Israel, your father. “You, Judah, shall your brothers praise –your hand on the neck of your enemies; the sons of your father shall bow down to you. Judah, like a lion’s whelp, you have grown up on prey, my son. He crouches like a lion recumbent, the king of beasts–who would dare rouse him? The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace from between his legs, While tribute is brought to him, and he receives the people’s homage.”

Responsorial (Ps 72:1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17) Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever.​

Alleluia - O Wisdom of our God Most High guiding creation with power and love: the path of knowledge!"​

Gospel (Mt 1:1-17)​

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abrahm. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile. After the Babylonian exile Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Christ, fourteen generations.​

In Evening Prayer tonight, the O Antiphon:

“O Wisdom, O Holy Word of God, You govern all creation with Your strong, yet tender care. Come and show Your people the way to salvation”​

In this morning’s prayers of intercession I was especially “struck” by this intercessory prayer:

" Lord teach all men and women to listen to Your Word and help believers to persevere in holiness."​

Let us believe, and trust and love God with the gits He gave us in our Baptism. Let us Listen with the “ears of our hearts!” Amen.