The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary, today, challenge us to action to affirm our role as disciples of the “Prince of Peace” during times when persecution and terror are being used as weapons against the People of God.
The Reading from the Book of Genesis proclaims Jacob’s Testament.
* [49:1–27] The testament, or farewell discourse, of Jacob, which has its closest parallel in Moses’ farewell in Dt 33:6–25. From his privileged position as a patriarch, he sees the future of his children (the eponymous ancestors of the tribes) and is able to describe how they will fare and so gives his blessing.
* [49:10] Until tribute comes to him: this translation is based on a slight change in the Hebrew text, which, as it stands, would seem to mean, “until he comes to Shiloh.” A somewhat different reading of the Hebrew text would be, “until he comes to whom it belongs.” This last has been traditionally understood in a messianic sense. In any case, the passage aims at the supremacy of the tribe of Judah and of the Davidic dynasty. (“Genesis, CHAPTER 49 | USCCB,” n.d.)
Psalm 72 declares the Israelite king is the instrument of divine justice.
* [Psalm 72] A royal Psalm in which the Israelite king, as the representative of God, is the instrument of divine justice (Ps 72:1–4, 12–14) and blessing (Ps 72:5–7, 15–17) for the whole world. The king is human, giving only what he has received from God. Hence intercession must be made for him. The extravagant language is typical of oriental royal courts. (“Psalms, PSALM 72 | USCCB,” n.d.)
The Gospel of Matthew presents The Genealogy of Jesus.
* [1:17] Matthew is concerned with fourteen generations, probably because fourteen is the numerical value of the Hebrew letters forming the name of David. In the second section of the genealogy (Mt 1:6b–11), three kings of Judah, Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah, have been omitted (see 1 Chr 3:11–12), so that there are fourteen generations in that section. Yet the third (Mt 1:12–16) apparently has only thirteen. Since Matthew here emphasizes that each section has fourteen, it is unlikely that the thirteen of the last was due to his oversight. Some scholars suggest that Jesus who is called the Messiah (Mt 1:16b) doubles the final member of the chain: Jesus, born within the family of David, opens up the new age as Messiah, so that in fact there are fourteen generations in the third section. This is perhaps too subtle, and the hypothesis of a slip not on the part of Matthew but of a later scribe seems likely. On Messiah, see note on Lk 2:11. (“Matthew, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB,” n.d.)
Margo Minnich comments that during this Third Week of Advent, we pause to consider: Where do we long for justice in our own world? How is God’s plan unfolding in the imperfect story of our own lives? And how might Christ desire to enter our world with His love and vision of justice?
Saint Ignatius teaches us to pray for the grace to know Jesus more intimately. This week, that grace may take the shape of seeing how Jesus’ coming fulfills God’s plan in scripture, but also in our personal histories. Just as God worked through flawed ancestors to bring forth Christ, he works through our imperfect lives to continue Christ’s mission of justice. (Minnich, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes Judah who received the promise of royalty foreshadows the Christ the King, by Rufinus (340-410 AD)
"This can be referred to the historical Judah as well as to those kings who were his descendants (Genesis 49:8-10). They broke the back of their enemies by administering the kingdom of that people. But this can also be fittingly referred to Christ, who is praised with good reason by his brothers, that is, by the apostles whom he himself called brothers in the Gospel. And his enemies, on whose back is his hand, appear to be those whom the Father promised to place under his feet by saying, 'Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet' (Psalm 110:1). They are enemies as long as they are unbelieving and unfaithful, and for that reason they are struck on the back. But after their conversion they become brothers and praise the One who, by summoning them to the adoption of the Father, has made them his coheirs and brothers. It is said correctly that the back of the enemies is struck by Christ. All those who worshiped the idols turned their back to God, as the Lord, through the prophet, accused them by saying, 'They turned their backs to me, and not their faces' (Jeremiah 2:27). Therefore he strikes their back so that after being converted they may turn their back to the idols and raise their forehead to God and may accomplish what is written here: 'Your father's sons shall bow down before you.' In fact, they adore him when they have become sons of the Father and have received the spirit of adoption in which they cry out, 'Abba, Father' (Romans 8:15-16)." No one calls Jesus Christ Lord except those who are in the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). (excerpt from THE BLESSINGS OF THE PATRIARCHS 1.5)
[Rufinus of Aquileia (340-410) was a friend of the Bible scholar Jerome, and, like Jerome, he departed from Italy to live in the East. For many years he lived in monasteries in Egypt and in Palestine, acquiring the learning of the Eastern churches. Towards the end of his life he returned to Italy and occupied himself in translating works of the earlier Greek Fathers into Latin.] (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Psalm 72:1-4, 7-8, 17 invites us to place this psalm alongside today’s Gospel reading about the genealogy of Jesus. He is the ultimate son of David, the only One who can bring true and lasting “justice” and “profound peace” to the whole world (Psalm 72:2, 7).
In these final days before Christmas, look to Jesus as your King. Praise him as the humble and lowly One who offers peace to the world and to human hearts—not through force but through his own life and death. He holds the scepter of authority over all of creation, and over you! Invite him in; ask him to dispel darkness and fear and to break the chains of sin. Let him become the answer to the deepest desires of your heart.
“Jesus, come and establish your reign in my heart!” (“Meditation on Psalm 72:1-4, 7-8, 17,” 2025)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that in Genesis, before Jacob gave a blessing to Judah, we learn about the kinship and the Lion of Judah who will be the ruler of Israel, David. The King, in the tribe of Judah, is fulfilled by Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew presents the genealogy of Jesus as a son of Abraham and a son of David. The number 14 is symbolic in Matthew and is based on numeric value or gamatria where the numbers of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet, (4+6+4 =14). DVD is the number of David In Hebrew. The superlative in Hebrew is expressed as 3 x 14 indicates Jesus is the “Davidest” in Matthew’s genealogy. Friar Jude notes that unusual women are mentioned including four with a sordid past or of foreign origin and finally Mary in this company. God has worked through unusual women in the past and now Matthew is trying to make this point in the role of Mary.
Fr. Mike Schmitz reflects on the effects of wealth on our souls and our relationship with God. He emphasizes the importance of resisting the devil and invites us to draw near to God because he is constantly pursuing us, especially as we share in his suffering. Today’s readings are James 3-5, Colossians 1-2, and Proverbs 30:7-9.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments on the mistakes we all make in our encounters with reality—both good and bad. We don’t realize that it wasn’t the person or event right in front of us that made us angry or fearful—or excited and energized.
At best, that is only partly true. If we allowed a beautiful hot air balloon in the sky to make us happy, it was because we were already predisposed to happiness. The hot air balloon just occasioned it. How we see will largely determine what we see and whether it gives us joy or makes us pull back with an emotionally stingy and resistant response. Without denying an objective outer reality, what we are able to see and are predisposed to see in the outer world is a mirror reflection of our own inner world and state of consciousness at that time. Most of the time, we just do not see at all but rather operate on cruise control.
It seems that we humans are two-way mirrors, reflecting both inner and outer worlds. We project ourselves onto outer things and these very things also reflect back to us our own unfolding identity. Mirroring is the way that contemplatives see, subject to subject rather than subject to object. (Rohr, n.d.)
We ask the Spirit to assist our contemplation of the choice we make to follow “Kings” we encounter on our journey and transform our motives from personal aggrandizement to service to the most needy in our environment.
References
Genesis, CHAPTER 49 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 17, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/49?2
Matthew, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 17, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/1?1
Meditation on Psalm 72:1-4, 7-8, 17. (2025, December 17). word Among Us. https://wau.org/meditations/2025/12/16/1446552/
Minnich, M. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved December 17, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-december-17-2025
Psalms, PSALM 72 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved December 17, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/72?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Contemplation and Awe. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 17, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/contemplation-and-awe/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 17, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/
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