Saturday of the Third Week of Advent

Today's Mass Readings

The intensity of the liturgy ratchets up a few notches today as we enter the last week before Christmas. On the 17th, we begin the use of the ancient “O Antiphons.” These are special texts used before and after the Canticle of Mary at Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours throughout the coming week. Each chant begins with a different title of Christ preceded by “O” as a direct form of address: “O Wisdom,” “O Adonai,” etc. We will also hear these texts each day at mass as the verses of the gospel acclamations.

Today’s readings situate Jesus as a descendant of King David in order to prove that he is truly the Messiah, “the one who is to come.” In the first reading from the Book of Genesis (49:2, 8-10) Jacob declares that the scepter of Israel shall remain with the descendants of his son Judah. Jesus is referred to in the Book of Revelation (5:5) as the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah,” the one worthy to open the scroll. Our gospel passage from St. Matthew (1:1-17) details the lineage of Jesus from Abraham to King David and David to “Jesus who is called the Christ.”

All of the liturgical texts for this day help to support the image of Jesus as the fulfillment of the longing of generations of men and women who awaited the Savior. He is the “Lord [who] will come to show mercy to his poor.” (Cf. Is 49:13, entrance antiphon). “Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace for ever,” (cf. Ps 72:7, responsorial refrain) He is the “Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love…” (Gospel acclamation and “O Antiphon”) And he is “the Desired of all nations [who] will come, and the house of the Lord will be filled with glory” (Cf. Hg 2:7, communion antiphon).

As we prepare to receive Jesus into our hearts this Christmas, let us cry out with the voices of generations of our ancestors in the faith: “Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus.”

Prayer for today: God our Father, you sent your only Son as Savior of the world, the long-desired One. Open our hearts and lives to receive his message of salvation and help us to share his love with all the world and with generations yet to come. Amen.

Reflection by Br. Michael Marcotte, OSB