The readings invite a little room for holy waiting. Stay with what Jesus says or does here, and let it ask for one honest response.
Today’s readings
First Reading
Jeremiah 23:5-8
"Behold, the days come," says the LORD, "that I will raise to David a righteous Branch; and he will reign as king and deal wisely, and will execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely. This is his name by which he will be called: The LORD our righteousness. "Therefore, behold, the days come," says the LORD, "that they will no more say, 'As the LORD lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;' but, 'As the LORD lives, who brought up and who led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries where I had driven them.' Then they will dwell in their own land."
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19
God, give the king your justice; your righteousness to the royal son. He will judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice. For he will deliver the needy when he cries; the poor, who has no helper. He will have pity on the poor and needy. He will save the souls of the needy. Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Blessed be his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and amen.
Gospel
Matthew 1:18-25
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this: After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly. But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins." Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel," which is, being interpreted, "God with us." Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; and didn't know her sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
A question for your journal
What small space could you make for God before the day gets crowded?
Scripture text: World English Bible Catholic Edition, public domain. Reading citations are prepared for Come Aside from MIT-licensed citation metadata.
Pray with the day
Keep the day with you.
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