Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Reading 1 and//www.usccb.org/bible/michah/5and1 MI 5and1-4A The LORD saysandYou, Bethlehem-Ephrathah,too small to be among the clans of Judah,From you shall come forth for meone who is to be ruler in IsraelWhose origin is from of old,from ancient times.(Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the timewhen she who is to give birth has borne,And the rest of his brethren shall returnto the children of Israel.)He shall stand firm and shepherd his flockby the strength of the LORD,in the majestic name of the LORD, his GodAnd they shall remain, for now his greatnessshall reach to the ends of the earthhe shall be peace. Or and//www.usccb.org/bible/romans/8:28 ROM 8:28-30 Brothers and sistersandWe know that all things work for good for those who love God,who are called according to his purpose.For those he foreknew he also predestinedto be conformed to the image of his Son,so that he might be the firstbornamong many brothers.And those he predestined he also calledand those he called he also justifiedand those he justified he also glorified. Responsorial Psalm and//www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/13:6 PS 13:6AB, 6C R. With delight I rejoice in the Lord. Though I trusted in your mercy,let my heart rejoice in your salvation. R.With delight I rejoice in the Lord. Let me sing of the LORD, He has been good to me.” R.With delight I rejoice in the Lord. Alleluia R.Alleluia, alleluia.Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praisefrom you rose the sun of justice, Christ our God.R.Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel and//www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/1and1 MT 1and1-16, 18-23 The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,the son of David, the son of Abraham.Abraham became the father of Isaac,Isaac the father of Jacob,Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,whose mother was Tamar.Perez became the father of Hezron,Hezron the father of Ram,Ram the father of Amminadab.Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,Nahshon the father of Salmon,Salmon the father of Boaz,whose mother was Rahab.Boaz became the father of Obed,whose mother was Ruth.Obed became the father of Jesse,Jesse the father of David the king.David became the father of Solomon,whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,Rehoboam the father of Abijah,Abijah the father of Asaph.Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,Joram the father of Uzziah.Uzziah became the father of Jotham,Jotham the father of Ahaz,Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,Manasseh the father of Amos,Amos the father of Josiah.Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothersat the time of the Babylonian exile.After the Babylonian exile,Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.Abiud became the father of Eliakim,Eliakim the father of Azor,Azor the father of Zadok.Zadok became the father of Achim,Achim the father of Eliud,Eliud the father of Eleazar.Eleazar became the father of Matthan,Matthan the father of Jacob,Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,but before they lived together,she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,yet unwilling to expose her to shame,decided to divorce her quietly.Such was his intention when, behold,the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph, son of David,do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.For it is through the Holy Spiritthat this child has been conceived in her.She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,because he will save his people from their sins.”All this took place to fulfillwhat the Lord had said through the prophetandBehold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,and they shall name him Emmanuel,which means God is with us.”