Gospel and Saint of the day: 18 December 2019

Book of Jeremiah 23,5-8.
“Behold, days will come - says the Lord - in which I will raise up a righteous sprout for David, who will reign as a true king and be wise and exercise the right and justice on earth.
In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will be safe in his home; this will be the name by which they will call him: Lord-our-justice.
Therefore, behold, days will come - says the Lord - in which he will no longer say: For the life of the Lord who brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt,
but rather: For the life of the Lord who brought out and who brought back the descendants of the house of Israel from the northern land and from all the regions where he had scattered them; they will dwell in their own land ".

Salmi 72(71),2.12-13.18-19.
God give your judgment to the king,
your righteousness to the king's son;
Regain your people with justice
and your poor with righteousness.

He will free the screaming poor man
and the wretch who finds no help,
he will have pity on the weak and the poor
and will save the life of his wretched.

Blessed be the Lord, God of Israel,
he alone does wonders.
And blessed his glorious name forever,
the whole earth be full of his glory.

Amen, amen.

From the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew 1,18-24.
Here is how the birth of Jesus Christ occurred: her mother Mary, being promised Joseph's bride, before they went to live together, found herself pregnant by the work of the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, who was righteous and did not want to repudiate her, decided to fire her secretly.
But while he was thinking about these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said to him: «Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary, your bride, because what is generated in her comes from the Spirit Holy.
She will give birth to a son and you will call him Jesus: in fact he will save his people from their sins ».
All this happened because what the Lord had said through the prophet was fulfilled:
"Here, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son who will be called Emmanuel", which means God-with-us.
Waking up from sleep, Joseph did as the angel of the Lord had ordered and took his bride with him.

18 December

BLESSED NEMESIA VALLEY

Aosta, 26 June 1847 - Borgaro Torinese, Turin, 18 December 1916

Born in Aosta in 1847, Giulia Valle has been noted since childhood for a delicate kindness of heart especially towards the poor and orphans. At nineteen he entered the Institute of the Sisters of Charity of St. Giovanna Antida Thouret and took the name of Sister Nemesia. In 1868 she was sent to Tortona, in the S. Vincenzo institute, as assistant of boarders and French teacher. In her mission with youth, she stands out for her patience and goodness, drawn from her constant relationship with God. In 1886 she became Superior and the charm of her charity spread beyond the walls of the Institute. In 1903 she was appointed novice teacher in Borgaro Torinese. In this delicate office, Sister Nemesia matures the heroic nature of virtues. He died on December 18, 1916, leaving us a message as simple as his life: "Be good, always, with everyone". The Church proclaims her Blessed on April 25, 2004.

PRAYER

O holy Father, who in the Church wished to glorify your servant Nemesia Valle with the exaltation of her virtues, grant us, through her intercession, the grace (s) that we present to you. Grant that following the example of his humble and generous service to young people, and to those who were in suffering and poverty, we too become witnesses to the Gospel of Charity. We ask you for Jesus Christ, your Son who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit forever and ever.

Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.