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Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed virgin Mary

Reading 1 : Micah 5:1-4a

The LORD says:
You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah,
too small to be among the clans of Judah,
From you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel;
Whose origin is from of old,
from ancient times.
(Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
when she who is to give birth has borne,
And the rest of his brethren shall return
to the children of Israel.)
He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
by the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
And they shall remain, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;
he shall be peace.

Or: Romans 8:28-30

Brothers and sisters:
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
so that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 13:6ab, 6c

R. (Isaiah 61:10) With delight I rejoice in the Lord.
Though I trusted in your mercy,
let my heart rejoice in your salvation.
R. With delight I rejoice in the Lord.
Let me sing of the LORD, “He has been good to me.”
R. With delight I rejoice in the Lord.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise;
from you rose the sun of justice, Christ our God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23

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.

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 be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means “God is with us.”

or : Matthew 1:18-23

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 be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means “God is with us.”

Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a powerful truth:
Your identity in Christ must shape your relationships, your decisions, and the way you handle conflict.
• Paul calls believers to live differently—guided by holiness, unity, and integrity.
• The psalm reminds us that God delights in His people and lifts up the humble.
• Jesus shows that prayer precedes mission, and His presence brings healing and restoration.
The message is clear: You are not who you used to be—so live as one who belongs to Christ.

Reflection for the Day

Paul’s words to the Corinthians are direct and challenging.
He sees believers taking their disputes to secular courts—exposing their divisions, pride, and lack of charity. Paul asks a piercing question:
“Is there no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute?”
In other words:
• Why let conflict destroy unity?
• Why let pride overshadow love?
• Why forget who you are in Christ?
Paul reminds them:
“You were washed… sanctified… justified.”
This is not just theology—it is identity.
You are no longer defined by old habits, old reactions, or old ways of handling conflict. You belong to Christ. Your life must reflect His grace.
Psalm 149 lifts the heart with joy. God delights in His people. He crowns the humble with victory. Holiness is not heavy—it is joyful.
Then the Gospel shows Jesus in one of the most important moments of His ministry.
Before choosing the Twelve, He spends the entire night in prayer. Mission flows from communion with the Father.
He then calls ordinary men—fishermen, tax collectors, zealots—and makes them apostles.
And when He comes down the mountain, the crowds rush toward Him:
• seeking healing
• seeking deliverance
• seeking hope
Power flows from Him. Everyone who touches Him is restored.
This is the Christ we belong to. This is the identity we carry.
Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Handle conflict with holiness.
   Let love, humility, and unity guide your decisions.
2. Remember your identity.
   You are washed, sanctified, justified—live like it.
3. Stay rooted in prayer.
   Mission, clarity, and strength flow from time with God.
   Let today be a day of restored identity, renewed unity, and deeper communion with Christ.

Prayer for Today

Lord Jesus, remind me of who I am in You— washed, sanctified, and justified.
Teach me to handle conflict with humility, to choose unity over pride, and to reflect Your grace in every relationship.
Root me in prayer, strengthen my mission, and let Your healing power flow through my life.
Make me a witness of Your love today.
Amen.