Lectio Div Catholic Gospel

From the responsorial psalm: "Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God. I will rejoice and be glad because of your mercy. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit."

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 10:17-22)

Jesus said to his disciples: "Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."

Jesus describes to the disciples the truth about discipleship, which Saint Stephen experiences as the first martyr in the reading from the Acts of the Apostles. In saying "Beware of men," Jesus contrasts human sin with supernatural grace. . .

A merry and blessed Christmas to you and your family!

From the responsorial psalm: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 1:67-79)

So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.

Luke unfolds the events following the birth of Jesus and the response of the shepherds who are visited by angels. After the angels leave, the shepherds say, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place." They go in haste to find find Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus lying in a manger, an invitation to all people through the shepherds to respond promptly to God's call. And the shepherds return, "glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them." In their eager response to do as the angel proclaims to them, to witness "an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." Hearing their story and seeing them, "Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart." In the story of the Nativity, God invites to do the same, to reflect on these things in our heart and to examine our own responses to God's message, sharing in and sharing with others, the joy of Christ's birth.

God, all praise and glory to you for sending your Son to us as a newborn savior, lying in a manger, the Word made flesh for the life of the world. In him, your love is made Incarnate. Blessed be your holy Name. Blessed be the Name of Jesus. Blessed be the Mother of my Lord, Mary most holy. Blessed be Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse. Blessed are you in your angels and in your saints. The announcement to the shepherds is for the whole world. As Saint John Paul II prayed during midnight Mass: "Look upon us, eternal Son of God, who took flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mary! All humanity, with its burden of trials and troubles, stands in need of you. Stay with us, living Bread which came down from heaven for our salvation! Stay with us forever!”

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

From the Gospel acclamation: "O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death."

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 1:67-79)

"You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Today's Gospel picks up where yesterday's passage left off. The friends and neighbors of Zechariah and Elizabeth take to heart the events surrounding the birth and naming of John the Baptist, asking, "What, then, will this child be?"

Today's antiphon: "O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God!" (Isaiah 7:14)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 1:57-66)

But they answered her, "There is no one among your relatives who has this name." So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God.

Neighbors and relatives who are close to Elizabeth and Zechariah witness the blessings and mercy of the Lord at the birth of John. Luke tells us that they rejoiced with Elizabeth. Yet, as close as they are, they remain outside looking in as God's plan unfolds before them.

Today's antiphon: O King of all nations and keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust! (Isaiah 9:5; 2:4)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 1:39-45)

"Blessed are you among women,  and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"

At the Visitation, Elizabeth responds to Mary's greeting with these words and with a question. She tells Mary that at the sound of her greeting, the infant John leaped in her womb. And then she asks a question, which is direct and at the same time full of meditation and wonder. Elizabeth is undoubtedly one of the first to ponder how it is that the Blessed Virgin, the mother of the Lord . . . .

Today's antiphon: O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death. (Isaiah 9:1)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 1:39-45)

"Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

Luke narrates Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth after the Annunciation. It reveals the significance of Mary’s pregnancy and Elizabeth's recognition of Jesus’ divine role even before his birth. Mary travels to visit Elizabeth in haste, expressing the level of joy she must have felt in the angel Gabriel's message and the fulfillment of it in her pregnancy. In responding to Mary's greeting, Luke tells us that Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice, "Most blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" Mary exudes the joy of faith in the Lord; Elizabeth affirms it, saying "Blessed are you who believed." From these two faithful women, God's tender compassion begins to break through darkness and the shadow of death, a dawn from on high that will illuminate the entire world.

God, by my faith and in my participation of the sacraments, help me be a means of bringing Christ to others. Mary visited Elizabeth, bearing your Son with overwhelming joy. Through fervent participation in my faith, help me know and share the same joy in carrying within me the Incarnate Word. In the Song of Songs is a kind of irony reflecting your mastery over nature, that in the dead of winter and at the longest night, the readings speak of new light that dawns from on high, bringing the peace that only Christ gives: "For see, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of pruning the vines has come, and the song of the dove is heard in our land." Splendor of eternal light, shine on us and on the whole world.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Today's antiphon, O Clavis David (O Key of David): O Key of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness! (Isaiah 9:6; 22:22)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 1:26-38)

"He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end."

The angel Gabriel visits the Virgin Mary to announce that she will conceive the Son of God. In the Annunciation, he describes Jesus as great, the Son of the Most High, and that he will inherit the throne of David and reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will have no end. Seeing that Mary is troubled, the angel says to her: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God." He tells her that the Holy Spirit will come upon her, and the power of the Most High will overshadow her in the conception. Over any plans Mary could have made for her life, God's will for Mary is that she fulfills his promises to all of humanity through the birth of Jesus. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Mary says yes.

God, help me realize throughout the day that my role in doing your will has Mary as a perfect example. It is to say yes to you. Help me have the conviction that just as with Mary, the Holy Spirit comes at my consent with overshadowing love. In order for me to say yes, I need an attentiveness to faith that listens out for you in the thrum and turmoil of the day. The psalmist prays, "Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory." And you do enter with superabundant love, as when Gabriel reveals that Elizabeth would bear a son who would prepare the way of Jesus. Make clear to me your love, Lord, your desire to enter.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Today's antiphon, O Radix Jesse: O Root of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay! (Isaiah 1:1; 11:10)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 1:5-25)

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John."

Luke recounts the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth. During Zechariah's service in the sanctuary of the temple, the angel Gabriel appears to him, causing Zechariah to be troubled and afraid to announce the birth of their son, John the Baptist. The angel describes John’s role as a great prophet who will prepare the way for the Lord and "turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous." When Zechariah expresses doubt and fear, he is made mute until the fulfillment of the angel's words in the birth of John. Elizabeth then conceives and in seclusion delights in what the Lord has done for her in his divine intervention.

God, the O Antiphon for today ends with "come to save us without delay!" It brings to mind the familiar prayer said in the Liturgy of the Hours, "O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me." Keep my faith supple, Lord, able to discern your works even as I wrestle with doubt and fear. Not by my own power can I save myself, Lord, but by you alone, the giver of all good gifts. Gabriel tells Zechariah what the outcome of John's consecrated birth will bring: "And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord." Help me be attentive to what you bring to fruition today; let me be a witness to the joy and gladness that follow as you come to my assistance.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Today's antiphon, O Adonai: O Leader of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power! (Isaiah 11:4–5; 33:22)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 1:18-25)

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."

Matthew's account of the birth of Jesus gives us a glimpse into Joseph's submission to God's will. Under the circumstances, his intention was to divorce Mary quietly until the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. Among his first words after identifying Joseph by his Davidic lineage, the angel tells him not to be afraid. Surely, he must have been greatly relieved—overjoyed—to hear that the woman he loved, to whom he is betrothed, remained a virgin. Matthew tells us that all this took place to fulfill what had been said through the prophet, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel." When Joseph awakes, he does what the angel commands him and takes Mary into his home. Jesus, Son of God and son of the Virgin Mary, is born to the world fully divine and fully human.

God, help me see Joseph as a model of obedience to your will. Although silent and docile, Joseph speaks clearly as he moves from deciding to divorce Mary quietly to taking his wife into his home as the angel commanded. The transformation he experienced is one that I can seek today and every day, allowing my plans to become overshadowed by God's. The plans I make, the things I decide, are bound ultimately to fail unless I allow you to do your will through me. "If the Lord does not build the house," the psalmist prays, "in vain do its builders labor." Give me the grace, Lord, to know your will and carry it out joyfully.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Today's antiphon, O Sapientia: O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge! (Isaiah 11:2–3; 28:29)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 1:1-17)

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.

Presenting the genealogy of Jesus Christ, Matthew traces the lineage of Jesus from Abraham through David to Joseph, the husband of Mary. By his direct connection from Abraham and David, from David to the exile in Babylon, and from the exile to Jesus, Matthew provides a genealogy that establishes Jesus as the Messiah in fulfilling all of God's promises to the patriarchs. These are the credentials of Jesus the Messiah, establishing his identity. In other words, Jesus is in truth who he claims to be. By including a long list of names, forty-two generations, Matthew provides not only a historical account but also the context of Jesus’ birth within all the breadth of salvation history.

God, you are Wisdom Most High who guides all of creation by your power and love. Teach me the path to knowledge of you. What is there in human wisdom that could compare with yours? Give me the grace to hear and receive your wisdom through scriptures, through the Holy Spirit, and through the sacraments of the Church. You are love itself. Guide me today in your love and make me your instrument; teach me to depend on you, trusting in the way you lead.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.