Gospel Reflection 2022/2023

Reading 1

The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:

Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;

let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as the sky!

But Ahaz answered,

"I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"

Then Isaiah said:

Listen, O house of David!

Is it not enough for you to weary people,

must you also weary my God?

Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:

the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,

and shall name him Emmanuel.

Responsorial Psalm

R. (7c and 10b) Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.

The LORD's are the earth and its fullness;

the world and those who dwell in it.

For he founded it upon the seas

and established it upon the rivers.

R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.

Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?

or who may stand in his holy place?

One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,

who desires not what is vain.

R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.

He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,

a reward from God his savior.

Such is the race that seeks for him,

that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.

R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.

Reading 2

Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus,

called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God,

which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,

the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh,

but established as Son of God in power

according to the Spirit of holiness

through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Through him we have received the grace of apostleship,

to bring about the obedience of faith,

for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,

among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;

to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

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 Spirit

that 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 fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means "God is with us."

When Joseph awoke,

he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him

and took his wife into his home.

18 基督降生的來歷如下：其母瑪利亞，已經許配於若瑟；他們還沒有同居，瑪利亞就因聖神受孕。 19其夫若瑟，本是義人，不肯羞辱他，就想暗暗離棄他。 20正在思慮這事的時候，忽有主之天神，在夢中顯現於他，說：「達味之子若瑟，不要怕娶你的妻子瑪利亞，因為他懷的孕，是從聖神來的。 21他將生一子，你給他起名叫耶穌：因為是他要把自己的百姓，從他們罪惡裏救出來。」 22所有的這一切事，都是為應驗主藉先知說的話。 23說：「有一位童貞女要懷孕生子；人稱其名為埃瑪努厄爾」，解說：「天主偕同我們。」 24若瑟醒了起來，就依着主之天神吩咐他的話，娶了他的妻子。 25但是沒有和他同房，等他生了長子，就給他起名叫耶穌。

基督的福音。