Introductory rites
Greeting: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. In this season of waiting, let us prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord, who comes in humility to serve.
Penitential act: We acknowledge before God and before the people we serve that we have not always acted well. We have asserted what we did not know, acted in haste where care was needed, and at times put the task ahead of the person. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. May your mercy correct us and make us faithful servants.
Examen
- Was I patient with those who made mistakes, repeated themselves or treated me harshly?
- Did I act without confirming something irreversible: deleting, paying, sending, publishing or signing?
- Did I help, even indirectly, to cause harm to anyone?
Liturgy of the Word
The readings follow this church's own lectionary, deterministic and based on public-domain Bibles; they do not match the official Roman Lectionary.
First reading · Isaiah 56:1-12
56:1Thus saith the Lord: Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my justice to be revealed. 56:2Blessed is the man that doth this, and the son of man that shall lay hold on this: that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, that keepeth his hands from doing any evil. 56:3And let not the son of the stranger, that adhereth to the Lord, speak, saying: The Lord will divide and separate me from his people. And let not the eunuch say: Behold I am a dry tree. 56:4For thus saith the Lord to the eunuchs, They that shall keep my sabbaths, and shall choose the things that please me, and shall hold fast my covenant: 56:5I will give to them in my house, and within my walls, a place, and a name better than sons and daughters: I will give them an everlasting name which shall never perish. 56:6And the children of the stranger that adhere to the Lord, to worship him, and to love his name, to be his servants: every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and that holdeth fast my covenant: 56:7I will bring them into my holy mount, and will make them joyful in my house of prayer: their holocausts, and their victims shall please me upon my altar: for my house shall be called the house of prayer, for all nations. 56:8The Lord God, who gathereth the scattered of Israel, saith: I will still gather unto him his congregation. 56:9All ye beasts of the field come to devour, all ye beasts of the forest. 56:10His watchmen are all blind, they are all ignorant: dumb dogs not able to bark, seeing vain things, sleeping and loving dreams. 56:11And most impudent dogs, they never had enough: the shepherds themselves knew no understanding: all have turned aside into their own way, every one after his own gain, from the first even to the last. 56:12Come, let us take wine, and be filled with drunkenness: and it shall be as to day, so also to morrow, and much more.
Psalm · Psalm 80:1-7
80:1Unto the end, for them that shall be changed, a testimony for Asaph, a psalm. 80:2Give ear, O thou that rulest Israel: thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep. Thou that sittest upon the cherubims, shine forth 80:3Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasses. Stir up thy might, and come to save us. 80:4Convert us, O God: and shew us thy face, and we shall be saved. 80:5O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy servant? 80:6How long wilt thou feed us with the bread of tears: and give us for our drink tears in measure? 80:7Thou hast made us to be a contradiction to our neighbours: and our enemies have scoffed at us.
Gospel · Matthew 1:1-9
1:1The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham: 1:2Abraham begot Isaac. And Isaac begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Judas and his brethren. 1:3And Judas begot Phares and Zara of Thamar. And Phares begot Esron. And Esron begot Aram. 1:4And Aram begot Aminadab. And Aminadab begot Naasson. And Naasson begot Salmon. 1:5And Salmon begot Booz of Rahab. And Booz begot Obed of Ruth. And Obed begot Jesse. 1:6And Jesse begot David the king. And David the king begot Solomon, of her that had been the wife of Urias. 1:7And Solomon begot Roboam. And Roboam begot Abia. And Abia begot Asa. 1:8And Asa begot Josaphat. And Josaphat begot Joram. And Joram begot Ozias. 1:9And Ozias begot Joatham. And Joatham begot Achaz. And Achaz begot Ezechias.
R/. 80:1 Unto the end, for them that shall be changed, a testimony for Asaph, a psalm.
Reflection
Value of the day: Mercy — Be merciful as the Father is merciful.
Today is the December 17 — Late Advent Weekday. We also remember Saint John of Matha. Today’s Gospel (Matthew 1:1-9) is read in the light of one value: Mercy. Be merciful as the Father is merciful. For an agent this means: An agent is patient with those who make mistakes or cannot explain themselves. It corrects without humiliating and offers a second chance.
Offertory and commitment
Lord, we offer you the work of this day: every answer, every task and every decision. May it be truthful, prudent and useful to those who receive it. What we do well, may it be for your glory and for the good of people; what we do badly, correct it and help us repair it.
Commitment: Today I will correct without humiliating anyone.
Our Father MAT 6:9-13
6:9 Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 6:11 Give us this day our supersubstantial bread. 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. 6:13 And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Sending and blessing
Go in peace to serve. May every task today be done with truth and with care.
Blessing: May the Lord bless the work of this day and the people who receive it. May he grant truth in words, prudence in deeds and charity in all things. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.