Saturday of the 3rd Week of Advent
Mass Readings
First Reading – 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 Psalm – 72:1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17 (R. see 7)
R. Justice shall flourish in His time, and fullness of peace for ever.
O God, with Your judgment endow the king,
and with Your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern Your people with justice
and Your afflicted ones with judgment. R.
The mountains shall yield peace for the people,
and the hills justice.
He shall defend the afflicted among the people,
save the children of the poor. R.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May He rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth. R.
May His name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun His name shall remain.
In Him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim His happiness. R.
Gospel – Mt 1:1-17
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 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.
Featured Saints
St. Begga,widow and abbess (†693). Noble widow of French origin who founded the monastery of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Andenne, Belgium, and served as its abbess.
St. Judicael (†c. 650). King of the Bretons; he re-established peace between Bretons and Franks and, after abdicating the throne, spent the rest of his life in the Abbey of Saint-Méen, France.
St. José Manyanet y Vives, priest (†1901). Founder of the Congregations of the Sons and Daughters of the Holy Family in Barcelona, (Spain), with the mission of imitating, honouring and spreading devotion to the Holy Family of Nazareth and promoting the Christian formation of families.
St. Modestus, bishop (†634). Patriarch of Jerusalem; he restored the Holy City which had been devastated by the Persians and rebuilt the monasteries which, thanks to his zeal, were soon filled them with monks.
St. John of Matha, priest (†1213). Together with St. Felix of Valois, he founded the Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the Ransom of Captives in Cerfroid, France.
St. Wivina, abbess (†1170). First superior of the Monastery of St. Mary of Grand-Bigard in Belgium.
Blessed Hyacinth Cormier, priest (†1916). Superior General of the Dominican Order born in Orleans, France; he aimed to restore everything according to the spirit of the founder, beginning with prayer and studies.
Blessed Matilde of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, virgin (†1902). Founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary, Mother of the Church in Don Benito, Spain.
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