When the pandemic started, I thought I’d seen the most devastating sight. But the worst came after. It’s as if the world stopped—but not the evildoers. In the middle of a world health crisis, a scandal involving multibillions’ worth of overpriced medical supplies was exposed. As the death count rose, those who took advantage of the situation ran rampant. Where was God in all the chaos and suffering?

With so much brokenness, sickness, and injustice in the world, it seemed easier to stop caring. But that’s not the call for us Christians. Our calling is to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, give shelter to travelers, visit the sick and imprisoned, and to bury the dead. Our calling is to endure, to stay faithful, and to love—regardless.

Even our smallest acts of mercy are not wasted on God.The world may not know, but God sees our tiniest offering. In chaos and suffering, we put our hope in Jesus, the fulfillment of all God’s promises. Rinabelle Papalid (ms.rinabelle@gmail.com)

Reflect:

What can you do to serve your brothers and sisters today?

Father God, help me cling to Your promises no matter what. Grant me Your grace to stay faithful until the end.

Saint Florian, pray for us.

As we begin the nine-day novena leading to Christmas, let us ask ourselves: Why do we attend Mass daily? Let us prepare our hearts to receive graces from the Lord and to use them faithfully in the service of His Kingdom. Attending Mass is not enough. We must open our hearts to the changes the Holy Spirit will make in us.

² Jacob called his sons and said to them: “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob, listen to Israel, your father. ⁸ “You, Judah, shall your brothers praise—your hand on the neck of your enemies; the sons of your father shall bow down to you. ⁹ 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? ¹⁰ The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace from between his legs, while tribute is brought to him, and he receives the peoples’ homage. 

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 72:1-2, 3-4, 7-8, 17

R: Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever.

¹ O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king’s son; ² He shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment. (R) ³ The mountains shall yield peace for the people, and the hills justice. ⁴ He shall defend the afflicted among the people, save the children of the poor. (R) ⁷ Justice shall flower in his days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more. 8 May he rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. (R) ¹⁷ 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 | Matthew 1:1-17

Christ's genealogy at the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel situates His birth within the Old Testament history. It shows God the Father's faithfulness to His promises and encourages us to reaffirm our commitment to Him. Are we ready to surrender our lives to His grace and renew our love and commitment to Jesus?

Gospel Acclamation

O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge!

¹ The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. ² Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. ³ Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, ⁴ Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, ⁵ Salmon thefather of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, ⁶ Jesse the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. ⁷ Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. ⁸ Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. ⁹ Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. ¹⁰ Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. ¹¹ Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile. ¹² After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, ¹³ Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, ¹⁴ Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, ¹⁵ Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, ¹⁶ Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. ¹⁷ 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. 

Read the Bible in one year! Read HEBREWS 9 - 13 today.

In the Gospel today, we read a lot of names. Most of them are difficult topronounce. But they are Jesus’ human family, going all the way back to David. Onething we need to know about all of these people is that they weren’t necessarily paragons of virtue. Some of them were great sinners. But they were still family.

The same could be true with us. Nobody has a perfect family. And sometimes the most difficult persons to forgive—and the deepest hurts we experience—do not come from outside but within our own family.

How do you forgive someone you love very much, but who has hurt you deeply? Do you feel as though you can never forgive them? Yes, you can. Because forgiveness is not an act of the feelings. Your feelings of hurt might be so powerful, but forgiveness, first of all, is an act of the will.

When Jesus was on the cross, I wonder what His human feelings were as people mocked Him in the midst of His excruciating pain. Yet He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” An act of His will!

Before anybody approaches you for forgiveness, whether from within your family or among your friends, you can forgive them. How? Simply say to God, “I forgive him. I forgive her.” And at that very moment, they are forgiven. It might take a long time for your feelings to catch up with what your will has done, but they will.

Probably the best gift you can give to Jesus on Christmas Day is to forgive someone who has hurt you, particularly in your family. You give Jesus the gift of those hurtful feelings and memories, and He’ll give a gift that you can’t give yourself—peace. He will give you deep peace. He cannot be outdone in generosity. Be forgiving. Be merciful. Because mercy is always given when it is not deserved. Fr. Bob McConaghy

Reflection Question:

Are you ready to open your heart to receive Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness? And are you ready to forgive those who have hurt you?

I ask for the grace to forgive _________, Lord. Help me. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ___________________________________