Behold, I make all things new

Gospel of the Day (Matthew 1:1-16.18-23)

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 Messiah.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.

Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.

She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us."

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Reflections:

"Behold, I make all things new" (Rev 21,5)

When the time had come for human nature to encounter the divine and to be so intimately united to it that the two would make but one person, it was necessary that each should already be manifested in its integrity. God, on his part, revealed himself in a manner befitting God, but it was the Virgin alone who threw light on human nature... For it truly seems that if God assumed human nature, not at its origin but in the fullness of time (Gal 4,4), this was because before that time this nature had not yet been fully brought to birth, whereas now, in Mary, it appeared in its integrity for the first time...

All this is what we have come to celebrate so festively today. The Virgin's birthday is likewise that of the whole world since this day saw the birth of the first fully human being. Now «the earth» has truly «yielded its fruit» (Ps 67[66],7), the earth that, with its thorns and thistles, always yielded before the corruption of sin (Gn 3,18). Now heaven knows that it was not set up in vain since humanity, for whom it was created, sees the light of day...

Hence the whole creation raises an endless song of praise to the Virgin; every tongue sings her glory with one voice; men and all the choirs of angels never cease to compose hymns to the mother of God. And we, too, sing her and offer her our praises together... To you alone, O Virgin worthy of all praise, as to your love for humankind, does it belong to value the blessing of the graces gained, not through us but through your generosity. Chosen from our race as a gift to God, you adorned with beauty the rest of humanity. Sanctify the hearts that have conceived the words we speak to you and prevent the earth of our souls from bringing forth the least evil, through the grace and goodness of your only Son, our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ.