＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Micah 5:1-4a(or Romans 8:28-30)

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

So small that you are hardly named among the clans of Judah, from you shall I raise the one who is to rule over Israel. For he comes forth from of old, from the ancient times.

Yahweh, therefore, will abandon Is­rael until such time as she who is to give birth has given birth. Then the rest of his deported brothers will return to the peo­ple of Israel.

 He will stand and shepherd his flock with the strength of Yahweh, in the glorious Name of Yahweh, his God. They will live safely while he wins renown to the ends of the earth.  He shall be peace.

 

Ps 13:6ab, 6c

With delight I rejoice in the Lord.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊  

Luke 6:27-38

But I say to you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.  Bless those who curse you and pray for those who treat you badly.  To the one who strikes you on the cheek, turn the other cheek; from the one who takes your coat, do not keep back your shirt.  

 Give to the one who asks and if anyone has taken something from you, do not demand it back.

Do to others as you would have others do to you.  If you love only those who love you, what kind of graciousness is yours? Even sinners love those who love them.  If you do favors to those who are good to you, what kind of graciousness is yours? Even sinners do the same.

If you lend only when you expect to receive, what kind of graciousness is yours? For sinners also lend to sinners, expecting to receive something in return.

 But love your enemies and do good to them, and lend when there is nothing to expect in return. Then will your reward be great and you will be sons and daughters of the Most High. For he is kind towards the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Don’t be a judge of others and you will not be judged; do not condemn and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven;  give and it will be given to you, and you will receive in your sack good measure, pressed down, full and running over. For the measure you give will be the measure you receive back.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

 On the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our gospel today narrates the bloodline of our Savior. It is populated by interesting people. Some are unsavory characters, yet the gospel writer did not shy away from mentioning them.

This is perhaps to drive home the point that the Incarnation is not a sham or an afterthought. It is a purposeful decision of God. And with regard to Jesus's earthly parents, it is through Mary that He became a man. But again, Joseph is not an afterthought.

He was chosen for a specific purpose. The Messiah must come from the stock of Jesse, along the Davidic line. This is what Joseph provided. And so, on the Nativity of Mary, we are reminded of the purpose for which she was born on Earth. Her birth is for a mission. A singular mission not given to anybody before. She is born to be the mother of the Son of God.