Gospel and Saint of the day: 22 December 2019

Book of Isaiah 7,10-14.
In those days, the Lord spoke to Ahaz:
"Ask for a sign from the Lord your God, from the depths of the underworld or up there."
But Ahaz answered, "I won't ask, I don't want to tempt the Lord."
Then Isaiah said, "Listen, house of David! Is it not enough for you to tire the patience of men, because now you also want to tire that of my God?
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Here: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, whom he will call Emmanuel: God-with-us ».

Salmi 24(23),1-2.3-4ab.5-6.
Of the Lord is the earth and what it contains,
the universe and its inhabitants.
It is he who founded it on the seas,
and on the rivers he established it.

Who will ascend the mountain of the Lord,
who will stay in his holy place?
Who has innocent hands and pure heart,
who does not pronounce a lie.

He will get blessing from the Lord,
justice from God his salvation.
Here is the generation that seeks it,
who seeks your face, God of Jacob.

Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Romans 1,1-7.
Paul, servant of Christ Jesus, apostle by vocation, chosen to proclaim the gospel of God,
that he promised through his prophets in the holy scriptures,
concerning his Son, born of the lineage of David according to the flesh,
constituted Son of God with power according to the Spirit of sanctification through the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Through him we have received the grace of the apostolate to obtain obedience to the faith from all peoples, to the glory of his name;
and among these are you also, called by Jesus Christ.
To all who are in Rome beloved by God and saints by vocation, grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

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.

22 December

SAINT FRANCESCA SAVERIO CABRINI

patroness of emigrants

Sant'Angelo Lodigiano, Lodi, 15 July 1850 - Chicago, United States, 22 December 1917

Born in the Lombard town in 1850 and died in the United States in mission land, in Chicago. Orphan of father and mother, Francesca wanted to shut herself up in the convent, but was not accepted because of her poor health. Then she took on the task of looking after an orphanage, entrusted to her by the parish priest of Codogno. The young, recently graduated teacher, did much more: she invited some companions to join her, constituting the first nucleus of the missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, placed under the protection of an intrepid missionary, St. Francis Xavier, of whom she herself, pronouncing religious vows, he assumed the name. He brought his missionary charisma to the United States, among the Italians who had sought luck there. For this reason she became the patroness of migrants.

PRAYER TO SANTA FRANCESCA CABRINI

O Saint Francesca Saverio Cabrini, patroness of all emigrants, you who have taken with you the drama of despair of thousands and thousands of emigrants: from New York, to Argentina and other countries of the world. You who poured out the treasures of your charity in these Nations, and with mother's affection you welcomed and consoled so many afflicted and desperate people of every race and nation, and to those who proved admired for the success of so many works of good, you responded with sincere humility : “Did not the Lord do all these things? ". We pray that the peoples learn from you to be in solidarity, charitable and welcoming with the brothers who are forced to abandon their homeland. We also ask that immigrants respect the laws and love their welcoming neighbor. Pray to the Sacred Heart of Jesus that men from different nations of the earth learn that they are brothers and sons of the same heavenly Father, and that they are called to form one family. Get away from them: the divisions, the discriminations, the rivalries or the enmities eternally occupied to avenge ancient insults. Let all humanity be united by your loving example. Finally, Saint Francesca Saverio Cabrini, we all ask you to intercede with the Mother of God, to obtain the grace of peace in all families and among the nations of the earth, that peace that comes from Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace. Amen