Daily Readings:
Saints/Martyrs/Feasts/Fasts to be observed/commemmorated/celebrated: Eve of the Nativity of the Christ
St. Adele
Feastday: December 24
730
St. Adele, Widow. A daughter of King Dagobert II of Germany, St. Adele became a nun upon the death of her husband, making provisions for her son, the future father of St. Gregory of Utrecht. She founded a convent at Palatiolum near Trier and became its first Abbess, ruling with holiness, prudence, and compassion. St. Adele seems to have been among the disciples of St. Boniface, the Apostle of Germany, and a letter in his correspondence is addressed to her. After a devout life filled with good works and communion with God, she passed on to her heavenly reward in 730.
St. Emiliana
Feastday: December 24
St. Gregory the Great had three aunts, sisters to his father, Gordian the regionarius, who led an ascetic religious life in their father's house. Their names were Tarsilla, who was the eldest, Emiliana and Gordiana. Tarsilla and Emiliana were more united by the fervor of their hearts and the bond of charity than by blood. They lived in their father's house on the Clivus Scauri as in a monastery and, encouraging one another to virtue by discourse and example, made great progress in spiritual life. Gordiana joined them, but she was often impatient of silence and retirement and, being called to another way of living, married her guardian. Tarsilla and Emiliana persevered in the path they had chosen, enjoying divine peace and love until they were called to receive the recompense of their fidelity. St. Gregory tells us that Tarsilla was visited one night with a vision of her great-grandfather, Pope St. Felix II (III), who showed a place prepared for her in heaven, saying, "Come; I will receive you into this habitation of light". She fell sick soon after, and as her friends were crowding round her bed, she cried out, "Away! Away! My Saviour Jesus is coming!" After these words she breathed out her soul into the hands of God on the vigil of Christmas. The skin of her knees and elbows was found to be hardened, "like the hide of a camel", by her continual prayer. A few days later she appeared to Emiliana, and called her to celebrate the Epiphany in heaven. Emiliana in fact, died on January 5. Both are named, on the respective days of their death, in the Roman Martyrology. Her feast day is December 24th.
St. Adela
Feastday: December 24
734
Abbess and foundress, a disciple of St. Boniface. Adela was a Frankish princess, the daughter of King Dagobert II (r. 656-705) and sister of St Irmina. Married to a nobleman, Alberie, she became the foundress of a monastery at Pfazel, near Trèves, France, when her husband died.
St. Tarsilla
Feastday: December 24
581
An aunt of Pope St. Gregory I the Great and a niece of Pope St. Felix IV. She lived with her sister, Emiliana, in Rome, where they were revered for their austerity and prayers. Tarsilla died first, followed a few days later by Emiliana. Tarsilla is also called Tharsilla.
St. Venerandus
Feastday: December 24
423
Bishop of Clermont,Auvergne, Gaul (modern France), from 385. He led this great see and monastic center, promoting evangelization of the entire region.
St. Caranus
Feastday: December 24
7th century
A Scottish bishop venerated in Aberdeen. He served in Eastern Scotland.
St. Delphinus
Feastday: December 24
404
Bishop of Bordeaux, France, who converted St. Paulinus of Nola. He attended the Synod of Saragossa, Spain, in 380, which condemned the heresy of Priscillianism. Delphinus corresponded with St. Ambrose.
St. Euthymius
Feastday: December 24
303
Martyr of Nicomedia. Before enduring torture and execution, Euthymius encouraged his fellow martyrs.
St. Lucian
Feastday: December 24
unknown
African martyr with Drusus Metrobius, Paul, Theotirnus, and Zenobius. They were martyred at Tripoli, Libya.
Scriptural Readings:
First Reading - Is 62:1-5
1For Sion's sake I will not hold my peace, and for the sake of Jerusalem, I will not rest till her just one come forth as brightness, and her saviour be lighted as a lamp. 2 And the Gentiles shall see thy just one, and all kings thy glorious one: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. 3 And thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. 4 Thou shalt no more be called Forsaken: and thy land shall no more be called Desolate: but thou shalt be called My pleasure in her, and thy land inhabited. Because the Lord hath been well pleased with thee: and thy land shall be inhabited. 5 For the young man shall dwell with the virgin, and thy children shall dwell in thee. And the bridegroom shall rejoice over the bride, and thy God shall rejoice over thee
11:16 PM (58 minutes ago)
Second Reading - Acts 13:16-17,22-25
16 Then Paul rising up, and with his hand bespeaking silence, said: Ye men of Israel, and you that fear God, give ear. 17 The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they were sojourners in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought them out from thence,22 And when he had removed him, he raised them up David to be king: to whom giving testimony, he said: I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man according to my own heart, who shall do all my wills. 23 Of this man's seed God according to his promise, hath raised up to Israel a Saviour, Jesus: 24 John first preaching, before his coming, the baptism of penance to all the people of Israel. 25 And when John was fulfilling his course, he said: I am not he, whom you think me to be: but behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
Psalm - Ps 89;4-5, 16-17,27,29
4I have made a covenant with my elect: I have sworn to David my servant: 5Thy seed will I settle for ever. And I will build up thy throne unto generation and generation. 16 Blessed is the people that knoweth jubilation. They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance: 17 And in thy name they shall rejoice all the day, and in thy justice they shall be exalted.27 He shall cry out to me: Thou art my father: my God, and the support of my salvation. 29 I will keep my mercy for him for ever: and my covenant faithful to him.
Gospel - Mt 1:1-25
1The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2 Abraham begot Isaac. And Isaac begot Jacob. And Jacob begot Judas and his brethren. 3 And Judas begot Phares and Zara of Thamar. And Phares begot Esron. And Esron begot Aram. 4 And Aram begot Aminadab. And Aminadab begot Naasson. And Naasson begot Salmon. 5 And Salmon begot Booz of Rahab. And Booz begot Obed of Ruth. And Obed begot Jesse. 6 And Jesse begot David the king. And David the king begot Solomon, of her that had been the wife of Urias. 7 And Solomon begot Roboam. And Roboam begot Abia. And Abia begot Asa. 8 And Asa begot Josaphat. And Josaphat begot Joram. And Joram begot Ozias. 9 And Ozias begot Joatham. And Joatham begot Achaz. And Achaz begot Ezechias. 10 And Ezechias begot Manasses. And Manasses begot Amon. And Amon begot Josias. 11 And Josias begot Jechonias and his brethren in the transmigration of Babylon. 12 And after the transmigration of Babylon, Jechonias begot Salathiel. And Salathiel begot Zorobabel. 13 And Zorobabel begot Abiud. And Abiud begot Eliacim. And Eliacim begot Azor. 14 And Azor begot Sadoc. And Sadoc begot Achim. And Achim begot Eliud. 15 And Eliud begot Eleazar. And Eleazar begot Mathan. And Mathan begot Jacob. 16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations, from Abraham to David, are fourteen generations. And from David to the transmigration of Babylon, are fourteen generations: and from the transmigration of Babylon to Christ are fourteen generations. 18 Now the generation of Christ was in this wise. When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost. 19 Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost.21 And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name JESUS. For he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: 23 Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 And Joseph rising up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took unto him his wife. 25 And he knew her not till she brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
No comments:
Post a Comment