Author: diocesan-sharon

Joy in the Midst of Sorrow / Gozo en Medio del Dolor

Posted on by diocesan-sharon

Click here for daily readings

It’s always been odd to me to have a feast of the first martyr the day after Christmas. Yes, as Christians, we know difficult things will be required of us, but does that mean we have to have a reminder right after we celebrate Jesus coming into the world? Can we just have joy for a little bit?  

Based on my research, the reason this day was chosen as the feast of St. Stephen was because on this day in the 5th century, the relics of St. Stephen were discovered after having been forgotten for centuries. But, as I’ve often discovered in my own life, the reasons and ways of God are subject to multiple interpretations, and life is often both/and, not either/or.

While on this date God did restore the relics of the first martyr to us, it’s also a stark reminder to us that, amid our Christmas joy, Jesus came to us to die. God’s plan was beyond anything we ever could have imagined, but it involved sorrow and death. 

But as we already know, sorrow and death weren’t the final answer. Everlasting joy and the beauty of Heaven wait for us who believe and live as we believe. I think that’s another reason why we celebrate the Feast of St. Stephen on this day: Christ coming to the earth only prefigured the sorrow he would experience on the Cross, and the sorrow of the martyrs who would give their lives for the sake of the Gospel. On the other side of death, however, is everlasting life. 

So is the Feast of St. Stephen on December 26th a stark reminder of what we are called to as Christians? Absolutely. But it is also a reminder of the promise of Heaven. That is why, even as we commemorate St. Stephen’s martyrdom, our joy is complete.  

Contact the author

Siempre me ha parecido extraño celebrar la fiesta del primer mártir el día después de la Navidad. Sí, como cristianos, sabemos que se nos exigirán cosas difíciles, pero ¿eso significa que tenemos que tener un recordatorio justo después de celebrar la llegada de Jesús al mundo? ¿No podemos ser gozosos un rato, por lo menos?

Según mi investigación, la razón por la que se eligió este día como la fiesta de San Esteban fue porque en este día del siglo V se descubrieron las reliquias de San Esteban después de haber estado olvidadas durante siglos. Pero, como he descubierto a menudo en mi propia vida, las razones y los caminos de Dios están sujetos a múltiples interpretaciones, y la vida a menudo incluye ambas cosas, no una u otra.

Si bien en esta fecha Dios nos devolvió las reliquias del primer mártir, también es un duro recordatorio para nosotros de que, en medio de la alegría navideña, Jesús vino a nosotros para morir. El plan de Dios estaba más allá de todo lo que pudiéramos haber imaginado, pero implicaba dolor y muerte.

Pero como ya sabemos, el dolor y la muerte no fueron la respuesta final. El gozo eterno y la belleza del Cielo nos esperan a los que creemos y vivimos como creemos. Creo que esa es otra razón por la que celebramos la fiesta de San Esteban en este día: la venida de Cristo a la tierra prefiguró el dolor que experimentaría en la cruz y el dolor de los mártires que darían sus vidas por el Evangelio. Sin embargo, al otro lado de la muerte está la vida eterna.

Entonces, ¿la fiesta de San Esteban, el 26 de diciembre, es un duro recordatorio de lo que estamos llamados a hacer como cristianos? Absolutamente. Pero también es un recordatorio de la promesa del Cielo. Es por eso que, incluso cuando conmemoramos el martirio de San Esteban, nuestro gozo puede ser completo.

Comunicarse con la autora

Mary Thissen is a St. Louis native living in East Central Illinois with her husband and children. She is blessed with twin boys Earthside and four children now living in Heaven. When she is not working as a healthcare data analyst or caring for her boys, she enjoys studying and writing about the Catholic faith and ministering to women who are suffering through miscarriage or infertility. You can connect with Mary on Instagram @waitingonmiracles. 

Feature Image Credit: Franz Xaver Wagenschon, art.diocesan.com/stock-photo/stoning-of-saint-stephen-14400/

The post Joy in the Midst of Sorrow / Gozo en Medio del Dolor appeared first on Diocesan.

Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr

Posted on by diocesan-sharon

Reading 1 Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59

Stephen, filled with grace and power,
was working great wonders and signs among the people.
Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,
Cyrenians, and Alexandrians,
and people from Cilicia and Asia,
came forward and debated with Stephen,
but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke.

When they heard this, they were infuriated,
and they ground their teeth at him.
But he, filled with the Holy Spirit,
looked up intently to heaven
and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
and he said,
“Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God.”
But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears,
and rushed upon him together.
They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.
The witnesses laid down their cloaks
at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 31:3cd-4, 6 and 8ab, 16bc and 17

R. (6) Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety.
You are my rock and my fortress;
for your name’s sake you will lead and guide me.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
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.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors.
Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your kindness.
R. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Alleluia Ps 118:26a, 27a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD:
the LORD is God and has given us light.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel 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.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.”

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

St. Stephen

Posted on by diocesan-sharon

St. Stephen

Feast date: Dec 26

Just after Christmas, the Catholic Church remembers its first martyr, and one of its first deacons, Saint Stephen. Roman Catholics celebrate his feast Dec. 26, while Eastern Catholics honor him one day later.

 

In the Acts of the Apostles, St. Luke praises St. Stephen as “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit,” who “did great wonders and signs among the people” during the earliest days of the Church.

 

Luke’s history of the period also includes the moving scene of Stephen’s death – witnessed by St. Paul before his conversion – at the hands of those who refused to accept Jesus as the Jewish Messiah.

 

Stephen himself was a Jew who most likely came to believe in Jesus during the Lord’s ministry on earth. He may have been among the 70 disciples whom Christ sent out as missionaries, who preached the coming of God’s kingdom while traveling with almost no possessions.

 

This spirit of detachment from material things continued in the early Church, in which St. Luke says believers “had all things in common” and “would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.”

 

But such radical charity ran up against the cultural conflict between Jews and Gentiles, when a group of Greek widows felt neglected in their needs as compared to those of a Jewish background.

 

Stephen’s reputation for holiness led the Apostles to choose him, along with six other men, to assist them in an official and unique way as this dispute arose. Through the sacramental power given to them by Christ, the Apostles ordained the seven men as deacons, and set them to work helping the widows.

 

As a deacon, Stephen also preached about Christ as the fulfillment of the Old Testament law and prophets. Unable to refute his message, some members of local synagogues brought him before their religious authorities, charging him with seeking to destroy their traditions.

 

Stephen responded with a discourse recorded in the seventh chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. He described Israel’s resistance to God’s grace in the past, and accused the present religious authorities of “opposing the Holy Spirit” and rejecting the Messiah.

 

Before he was put to death, Stephen had a vision of Christ in glory. “Look,” he told the court, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

 

The council, however, dragged the deacon away and stoned him to death.

 

“While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,’” records St. Luke in Acts 7. “Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.”

 

The first Christian martyrdom was overseen by a Pharisee named Saul – later Paul, and still later St. Paul – whose own experience of Christ would transform him into a believer, and later a martyr himself.

The Signs of God / Las Señales de Dios

Posted on by diocesan-sharon

Click here for daily readings

Midnight Christmas Mass was always my favorite as a kid. We would get all dressed up and enter the beautiful Church with all the decorations and the nativity scene. It’s like I can still smell the pine trees and see the glow of the Christmas lights. I think we probably all have memories that bring us back to the Christmas season. Whether it is the smell of freshly baked cookies or the Christmas ham roasting for hours, these physical signs point us back to memories and experiences that we have enjoyed. 

The Gospel from the Christmas Mass during the Night proclaims, “For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you.” This has me thinking about the importance of physical signs. Wedding rings are exchanged as a sign of commitment. Gifts are exchanged as a sign of love or friendship. In today’s Gospel we have the signs of the manger and the swaddling clothes that are communicating to us that God has become flesh. Signs are important for us.

The beautiful thing about the signs we have in the Catholic Church is that they go beyond mere symbols. Today we commemorate not just a sign of God’s love in clothes and a structure, but we commemorate God literally taking on flesh to be a physical and effective sign of his love. Not just a sign in the sense of symbolic representation, but a sign that is so real and so effective that it literally becomes what it signifies. 

We see this played out in every Mass. We start with the Liturgy of the Word where we read from Scripture. But that Word, throughout the course of the Mass, becomes so living, so real, so physical, so effective, that the Word of God literally becomes flesh for us on the altar. This is the very thing we celebrate this Christmas season. We can think back to all the great symbols that plunge us deeply into beautiful memories of family life, but let’s set aside some special time today to focus on the fact that God transcends all earthly signs and literally becomes one of us. He wants to be one with you and with me. If there is nothing else we take out of our celebrations today, I think it would do us well to focus on that reality. God loves you enough that he was born in a manger to have a relationship with you and one day be with you forever in paradise. 

From all of us here at Diocesan, Merry Christmas and God bless! 

Contact the author

La Misa de Navidad de medianoche siempre fue mi favorita cuando era niño. Nos vestíamos formales y entrábamos en la hermosa iglesia con todas las decoraciones y el belén. Es como si todavía pudiera oler los pinos y ver el resplandor de las luces navideñas. Creo que probablemente todos tenemos recuerdos que nos traen de vuelta a la temporada navideña. Ya sea el olor de las galletas recién horneadas o el jamón navideño asándose durante horas, estos signos físicos nos traen recuerdos y experiencias que hemos disfrutado.

El Evangelio de la Misa de Navidad de Medianoche proclama: “hoy les ha nacido, en la ciudad de David, un Salvador, que es el Mesías, el Señor. Esto les servirá de señal…” Esto me hace pensar en la importancia de los signos físicos. Los anillos de boda se intercambian como un signo de compromiso. Los regalos se intercambian como signo de amor o amistad. En el Evangelio de hoy tenemos los signos del pesebre y los pañales que nos comunican que Dios se ha hecho carne. Los signos son importantes para nosotros.

Lo hermoso de los signos que tenemos en la Iglesia Católica es que van más allá de los meros símbolos. Hoy conmemoramos no sólo un signo del amor de Dios en forma de ropa y una estructura, sino que conmemoramos a Dios literalmente tomando forma humana para ser un signo físico y efectivo de su amor. No sólo un signo en el sentido de una representación simbólica, sino un signo que es tan real y tan efectivo que literalmente se convierte en lo que significa.

Vemos esto durante cada Misa. Comenzamos con la Liturgia de la Palabra donde leemos la Escritura. Pero esa Palabra, a lo largo de la Misa, se vuelve tan viva, tan real, tan física, tan efectiva, que la Palabra de Dios literalmente se hace carne para nosotros en el altar. Esto es precisamente lo que celebramos en esta temporada navideña. Podemos pensar en todos los grandes símbolos que nos sumergen profundamente en hermosos recuerdos de la vida familiar, pero reservemos un tiempo especial hoy para enfocarnos en el hecho de que Dios trasciende todos los signos terrenales y literalmente se convierte en uno de nosotros. Él quiere ser uno contigo y conmigo. Si no hay nada más que podamos sacar de las celebraciones de hoy día, creo que nos vendría bien centrarnos en esa realidad. Dios te ama lo suficiente como para haber nacido en un pesebre para tener una relación contigo y un día estar contigo para siempre en el paraíso.

De parte de todos nosotros aquí en Diocesan, ¡Feliz Navidad y que Dios te bendiga!

Comunicarse con el autor

Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

Feature Image Credit: Kenny Eliason, unsplash.com/photos/nativity-outdoor-decor-during-night-time-LmcPCp92KFo

The post The Signs of God / Las Señales de Dios appeared first on Diocesan.

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

Posted on by diocesan-sharon

Reading I Is 62:11-12

    See, the LORD proclaims
        to the ends of the earth:
    say to daughter Zion,
        your savior comes!
    Here is his reward with him,
        his recompense before him.
    They shall be called the holy people,
        the redeemed of the LORD,
    and you shall be called “Frequented,”
        a city that is not forsaken.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 97:1, 6, 11-12.

R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
   let the many isles be glad.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
   and all peoples see his glory.
R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.
Light dawns for the just;
   and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
   and give thanks to his holy name.
R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.

Reading II Ti 3:4-7

Beloved:
When the kindness and generous love 
of God our savior appeared,

not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
He saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

Alleluia Lk 2:14

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to those
on whom his favor rests.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 2:15-20

When the angels went away from them to heaven,
the shepherds said to one another, 
“Let us go, then, to Bethlehem
to see this thing that has taken place, 
which the Lord has made known to us.”
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.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God 
for all they had heard and seen, 
just as it had been told to them.

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

Posted on by diocesan-sharon

Reading I Is 52:7-10

    How beautiful upon the mountains
        are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,
    announcing peace, bearing good news,
        announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,
        “Your God is King!”

    Hark!  Your sentinels raise a cry,
        together they shout for joy,
    for they see directly, before their eyes,
        the LORD restoring Zion.
    Break out together in song,
        O ruins of Jerusalem!
    For the LORD comforts his people,
        he redeems Jerusalem.
    The LORD has bared his holy arm
        in the sight of all the nations;
    all the ends of the earth will behold
        the salvation of our God.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6.

R. (3c)  All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
   for he has done wondrous deeds;
his right hand has won victory for him,
   his holy arm.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
   in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
   toward the house of Israel.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
All the ends of the earth have seen
   the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
   break into song; sing praise.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
   with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
   sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

Reading II Heb 1:1-6

Brothers and sisters:
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways 
    to our ancestors through the prophets; 
    in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son, 
    whom he made heir of all things 
    and through whom he created the universe,
        who is the refulgence of his glory,
            the very imprint of his being,
        and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
        When he had accomplished purification from sins,
        he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
        as far superior to the angels
        as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

For to which of the angels did God ever say:
    You are my son; this day I have begotten you?
Or again:
    I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me?
And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says:
    Let all the angels of God worship him.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A holy day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.
For today a great light has come upon the earth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 1:1-18

    In the beginning was the Word,
        and the Word was with God,
        and the Word was God.
    He was in the beginning with God. 
    All things came to be through him,
        and without him nothing came to be.
    What came to be through him was life,
        and this life was the light of the human race;
    the light shines in the darkness,
        and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light, 
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
    He was in the world,
        and the world came to be through him,
        but the world did not know him.
    He came to what was his own,
        but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God, 
to those who believe in his name, 
who were born not by natural generation 
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision 
but of God.
    And the Word became flesh
        and made his dwelling among us,
        and we saw his glory,
        the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
        full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying, 
“This was he of whom I said, 
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me 
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses, 
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, 
has revealed him.

OR:

Jn 1:1-5, 9-14

    In the beginning was the Word,
        and the Word was with God,
        and the Word was God.
    He was in the beginning with God. 
    All things came to be through him,
        and without him nothing came to be.
    What came to be through him was life,
        and this life was the light of the human race;
    the light shines in the darkness,
        and the darkness has not overcome it.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
    He was in the world,
        and the world came to be through him,
        but the world did not know him.
    He came to what was his own,
        but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God, 
to those who believe in his name, 
who were born not by natural generation 
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision 
but of God.
    And the Word became flesh
        and made his dwelling among us,
        and we saw his glory,
        the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
        full of grace and truth.

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

Posted on by diocesan-sharon

Vigil Mass

Mass during the Night

Mass at Dawn

Mass during the Day

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

Posted on by diocesan-sharon

Reading I Is 62:1-5

    For Zion’s sake I will not be silent,
        for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
    until her vindication shines forth like the dawn
        and her victory like a burning torch.

    Nations shall behold your vindication,
        and all the kings your glory;
    you shall be called by a new name
        pronounced by the mouth of the LORD.
    You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD,
        a royal diadem held by your God.
    No more shall people call you “Forsaken,”
        or your land “Desolate,”
    but you shall be called “My Delight,”
        and your land “Espoused.”
    For the LORD delights in you
        and makes your land his spouse.
    As a young man marries a virgin,
        your Builder shall marry you;
    and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride
        so shall your God rejoice in you.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29.

R. (2a)  For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
   I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
   and establish your throne for all generations.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;
   in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.
At your name they rejoice all the day,
   and through your justice they are exalted.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
He shall say of me, “You are my father,
   my God, the rock, my savior.”
Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,
   and my covenant with him stands firm.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

Reading II Acts 13:16-17, 22-25

When Paul reached Antioch in Pisidia and entered the synagogue,
he stood up, motioned with his hand, and said, 
“Fellow Israelites and you others who are God-fearing, listen.
The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors 
and exalted the people during their sojourn in the
land of Egypt.
With uplifted arm he led them out of it.
Then he removed Saul and raised up David as king;
of him he testified,
‘I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;
he will carry out my every wish.’
From this man’s descendants God, according to his promise, 
has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.
John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance 
to all the people of Israel; 
and as John was completing his course, he would say, 
‘What do you suppose that I am?  I am not he.
Behold, one is coming after me; 
I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.’”

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Tomorrow the wickedness of the earth will be destroyed:
the Savior of the world will reign over us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 1:1-25

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. 

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 conceive and bear a son,
        and they shall name him Emmanuel, 
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him 
and took his wife into his home.
He had no relations with her until she bore a son, 
and he named him Jesus.

OR:

Mt 1:18-25

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 conceive and bear a son,
        and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him 
and took his wife into his home.
He had no relations with her until she bore a son, 
and he named him Jesus.

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

Posted on by diocesan-sharon

Reading I Is 9:1-6

    The people who walked in darkness
        have seen a great light;
    upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
        a light has shone.
    You have brought them abundant joy
        and great rejoicing,
    as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,
        as people make merry when dividing spoils.
    For the yoke that burdened them,
        the pole on their shoulder,
    and the rod of their taskmaster
        you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
    For every boot that tramped in battle,
        every cloak rolled in blood,
        will be burned as fuel for flames.
    For a child is born to us, a son is given us;
        upon his shoulder dominion rests.
    They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero,
        Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.
    His dominion is vast
        and forever peaceful,
    from David’s throne, and over his kingdom,
        which he confirms and sustains
    by judgment and justice,
        both now and forever.
    The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!

Responsorial Psalm Ps 96: 1-2, 2-3, 11-12, 13.

R. (Lk 2:11)  Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
   sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
    Tell his glory among the nations;
    among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
   let the sea and what fills it resound;
   let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.
They shall exult before the LORD, for he comes;
   for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
   and the peoples with his constancy.
R. Today is born our Savior, Christ the Lord.

Reading II Ti 2:11-14

Beloved:
The grace of God has appeared, saving all
and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires 
and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, 
as we await the blessed hope, 
the appearance of the glory of our great God 
and savior Jesus Christ,
who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness 
and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, 
eager to do what is good.

Alleluia Lk 2:10-11

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I proclaim to you good news of great joy:
today a Savior is born for us,
Christ the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 2:1-14

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment, 
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth 
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, 
because he was of the house and family of David, 
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child, 
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, 
because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields 
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them 
and the glory of the Lord shone around them, 
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy 
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David 
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you: 
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes 
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
    “Glory to God in the highest
        and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

– – –

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The Nativity of The Lord – Christmas

Posted on by diocesan-sharon

The Nativity of The Lord – Christmas

Feast date: Dec 25

The word for Christmas in late Old English is Cristes Maesse, the Mass of Christ, first found in 1038, and Cristes-messe, in 1131; in Latin Dies Natalis.

Early Celebration

Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church. Sts. Irenaeus and Tertullian omit it from their lists of feasts, and Origen, glancing perhaps at the discreditable imperial Natalitia, asserts that in the Scriptures sinners alone, not saints, celebrate their birthday. Arnobius can still ridicule the “birthdays” of the gods.

 

The first evidence of the feast is from Egypt. About A.D. 200, Clement of Alexandria says that certain Egyptian theologians “over curiously” assign, not the year alone, but the day of Christ’s birth, placing it on 25 Pachon (May 20) in the twenty-eighth year of Augustus. The December feast therefore reached Egypt between 427 and 433.

 

In Rome the earliest evidence is in the Philocalian Calendar, compiled in 354, which contains three important entries. In the civil calendar December 25 is marked “Natalis Invicti.” In the “Depositio Martyrum” a list of Roman or early and universally venerated martyrs, under December 25 is found “VIII kal. ian. natus Christus in Betleem Iudæ.”

 

De Santi (L’Orig. delle Fest. Nat., in Civiltæ Cattolica, 1907), following Erbes, argues that Rome took over the Eastern Epiphany, now with a definite Nativity colouring, and, with as increasing number of Eastern Churches, placed it on December 25. Later, both the East and West divided their feast, leaving Ephiphany on January 6, and Nativity on December 25, respectively, and placing Christmas on December 25 and Epiphany on January 6. The earlier hypothesis still seems preferable.

Origin of Date

Concerning the date of Christ’s birth the Gospels give no help; upon their data contradictory arguments are based. The census would have been impossible in winter: a whole population could not then be put in motion. Again, in winter it must have been; then only field labour was suspended, but Rome was not thus considerate. Authorities moreover differ as to whether shepherds could or would keep flocks exposed during the nights of the rainy season.

 

Natalis Invicti

The well-known solar feast, however, of Natalis Invicti, celebrated on December 25, has a strong claim on the responsibility for our December date. For the history of the solar cult, its position in the Roman Empire, and syncretism with Mithraism, see Cumont’s epoch-making “Textes et Monuments” etc., I, ii, 4, 6, p. 355. Mommsen (Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, 12, p. 338) has collected the evidence for the feast, which reached its climax of popularity under Aurelian in 274. Filippo del Torre in 1700 first saw its importance. It is marked, as has been said, without addition in Philocalus’ Calendar. It would be impossible here even to outline the history of solar symbolism and language as applied to God, the Messiah, and Christ in Jewish or Chrisian canonical, patristic, or devotional works. Hymns and Christmas offices abound in instances; the texts are well arranged by Cumont.

 
Liturgy and Custom

The fixing of this date fixed those too of Circumcision and Presentation, of Expectation and, perhaps, Annunciation B.V.M., and of Nativity and Conception of the Baptist (cf. Thurston in Amer. Eccl. Rev., December, 1898). Till the tenth century Christmas counted, in papal reckoning, as the beginning of the ecclesiastical year, as it still does in Bulls. Boniface VIII (1294-1303) restored temporarily this usage, to which Germany held longest.

 

The Crib (creche) or Nativity Scene

Saint Francis of Assisi in 1223 originated the crib of today by laicizing a hitherto ecclesiastical custom, henceforward extra-liturgical and popular. The presence of ox and ass is due to a misinterpretation of Isaias 1:3, and Habakkuk 3:2 (“Itala” version), though they appear in the unique fourth-century “Nativity” discovered in the Saint Sebastian catacombs in 1877. The ass on which Balaam rode in the Reims mystery won for the feast the title Festum Asinorum (Ducange, op. cit., s.v. Festum).


Hymns and Carols

The degeneration of these plays in part occasioned the diffusion of noels, pastorali, and carols, to which was accorded, at times, a quasi-liturgical position. Prudentius, in the fourth century, is the first (and in that century alone) to hymn the Nativity, for the “Vox clara” (hymn for Lauds in Advent) and “Christe Redemptor” (Vespers and Matins of Christmas) cannot be assigned to Ambrose. “A solis ortu” is certainly, however, by Sedulius (fifth century). The earliest German Weihnachtslieder date from the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the earliest noels from the eleventh, the earliest carols from the thirteenth. The famous “Stabat Mater Speciosa” is attributed to Jacopone da Todi (1230-1306); “Adeste Fideles” is, at the earliest, of the seventeenth century. These essentially popular airs, and even words, must, however, have existed long before they were put down in writing.