December 17

Official Translation

Reading 1 - Genesis 49.2, 8-10

Jacob called his sons and said to them:
“Assemble yourselves, and hear, you sons of Jacob.
Listen to Israel, your father.

Judah, your brothers will praise you.
Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies.
Your father’s sons will bow down before you.
Judah is a lion’s cub. From the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He stooped down, he crouched as a lion, as a lioness. Who will rouse him up?
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until it comes to whom it belongs.
To him will the obedience of the peoples be.”

Responsorial – Psalm 72.1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17 Resp. 7

R. In his day, justice shall flourish, and the fullness of peace as long as the moon endures.

Give the king your judgment, O God,
and your righteousness to the king's son.
He shall judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with judgment.

R. In his day, justice shall flourish, and the fullness of peace as long as the moon endures.

The mountains shall bring prosperity to the people.
The hills bring the fruit of righteousness.
He will defend the poor of the people.
He will save the children of the needy.

R. In his day, justice shall flourish, and the fullness of peace as long as the moon endures.

In his day, justice shall flourish,
and the fullness of peace as long as the moon endures.
He shall have dominion from sea to sea,
and from the river to the ends of the earth.

R. In his day, justice shall flourish, and the fullness of peace as long as the moon endures.

His name will endure forever.
His name will continue as long as the sun.
The people will be blessed in him.
All nations will call him blessed.

R. In his day, justice shall flourish, and the fullness of peace as long as the moon endures.

Gospel – Matthew 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 became the father of Jacob.
Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar.
Perez became the father of Hezron.
Hezron became the father of Ram.
Ram became the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon became the father of Salmon.
Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab.
Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse.
Jesse became the father of King David.
David became the father of Solomon
by her who had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam.
Rehoboam became the father of Abijah.
Abijah became the father of Asa.
Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram.
Joram became the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham.
Jotham became the father of Ahaz.
Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh.
Manasseh became the father of Amon.
Amon became the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers,
at the time of the exile to Babylon.
After the exile to Babylon,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud.
Abiud became the father of Eliakim.
Eliakim became the father of Azor.
Azor became the father of Zadok.
Zadok became the father of Achim.
Achim became the father of Eliud.
Eliud became the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar became the father of Matthan.
Matthan became the father of Jacob.
Jacob became the father of Joseph,
the husband of Mary,
from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations;
from David to the exile to Babylon fourteen generations;
and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations.