Sermon from 25.12.2024 preached by Adam Szustak OP Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord 1st reading (Is 62:1-5) God loves his people and will send the Redeemer Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah For Zion's sake I will not be silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness shines like the dawn and her salvation burns like a torch. Then the nations will see your righteousness and all your kings your glory. And you will be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will name. You will be a crown of splendor in the hand of the Lord, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You will no longer be called "Forsaken", your land will no longer be called "Desolate". Rather, you will be called "My delight in her", and your land will be called "Betrothed". For you have pleased the Lord, and your land will receive a husband. For as a young man marries a virgin, so your Builder will marry you; and as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you. 2nd reading (Acts 13:16-17, 22-25) The testimony of Saint Paul about Christ Reading from the Acts of the Apostles When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he stood up in the synagogue, waved his hand and said: "Hear, O men of Israel and you who fear God! The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt, and with a strong arm he brought them out of it. Then he raised up David as their king, about whom he also testified, saying: "I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will." From his offspring, according to his promise, God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus. Before his coming, John preached a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And at the end of his ministry, John said: “I am not what you say I am. After me comes one whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” Gospel (Mt 1:1-25) The genealogy of Jesus Christ and the announcement of his birth Words of the Gospel according to Saint Matthew The genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac; Isaac the father of Jacob; Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers; Judah was the father of Pharez and Zerah by Tamar. Pharez was the father of Esrom; Esrom the father of Aram; Aram the father of Aminadab; Aminadab the father of Nahshon; Nahshon the father of Salmon; Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon by the former wife of Uriah. Solomon was the father of Rehoboam; Rehoboam the father of Abijah; Abijah the father of Asa; Asa the father of Jehoshaphat; Jehoshaphat the father of Joram; Joram the father of Uzziah; Uzziah the father of Jotham; Jotham the father of Ahaz; Ahaz the father of Hezekiah; Hezekiah the father of Manasseh; Manasseh the father of Amos; Amos the father of Josiah; Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers during the Babylonian exile. After the Babylonian exile, Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel; Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel; Zerubbabel the father of Abiud; Abiud the father of Eliakim; Eliakim the father of Azor; Azor the father of Zadok; Zadok the father of Achim; Achim the father of Eliud; Eliud the father of Eleazar; Eleazar the father of Matthan; Matthan the father of Jacob; Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus, who is called Christ, was born. So from Abraham to David there are fourteen generations in all; from David to the Babylonian exile fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Christ fourteen generations. As for the birth of Jesus Christ, it was this way. After his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child by the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a just man and not wanting to expose her to disgrace, planned to put her away secretly. When he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for 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 conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel," which means "God is with us." Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. He took his wife to himself and had no intercourse with her until she had given birth to a son, and he named him Jesus.