Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection December 17, 2025
Wednesday – Third Week of Advent
17th December 2025 (Wednesday)
Psalter: Week 3
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Genesis 49:2, 8-10
In those days: Jacob called his sons, and said, “Assemble and listen, O sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father. “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall 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 and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
Psalm 72:1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17 (R. see 7)
R/. In his days shall justice flourish and great peace forever.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. O Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Matthew 1:1-17
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Wednesday – Third Week of Advent
Main Point: God’s mindset is different from the human mindset in different ways. One salient difference is, God does not seek to protect and promote His own dignity or interests. Rather He protects and promotes our dignity.
1. By and large, there is an overhauling ego-centrism in the ordinary human mentality. ‘I’ become the centre, norm, and measure of everything. But the great and noble souls rise above this ego-demarcation and set others’ good first. This is in fact God’s own nature. There is no self-seeking. He is always intent on human well-being.
2. In the OT salvation history, God enters into the life story of a small nation Israel and brings them up. Despite their recurrent infidelity and deviations, He remains faithful to them. There is absolutely no self-gain. It is all for their benefit.
3. In the NT, the genealogy that is narrated in the gospel, at a first glance may look like a mere list of names, just for chronological purpose and historical interest. But a deeper look into the genealogy reveals and authenticates what we are saying above.
4. First of all, genealogy reveals that God descends amidst us on earth as a human so as to make us ascend to heaven as divine eternals. He lowers His dignity in order to raise our dignity. He shares in our human predicament so that we can share in the divine glory.
5. Further, the names in the list of genealogy are a variety of different characters – men and women, chosen and pagan, elite and ordinary, adulterers and murderers. Thus genealogy includes all irrespective of status and dignity. There is no exclusion or discrimination. This once again proves that God dignifies us and gives us a due place in His eternal plans and ways of salvation.
My Practice: Let us be extremely happy that God graciously becomes one of us in our human family. It is a grace and privilege. Let us feel and live our human dignity
