Gospel and Saint of the day: 24 December 2019

Book of Isaiah 9,1-6.
The people who walked in darkness saw a great light; a light shone on those who lived in a dark land.
You multiplied joy, you increased joy. They rejoice before you as you rejoice when you reap and how you rejoice when you share prey.
For the yoke that weighed on him and the bar on his shoulders, the rod of his tormentor you broke as in the time of Midian.
Since every soldier's shoe in the fray and every cloak stained with blood will be burned, it will come out of the fire.
Because a baby was born for us, we were given a son. On his shoulders is the sign of sovereignty and is called: Admirable Counselor, powerful God, Father forever, Prince of Peace;
his rule will be great and peace will have no end on David's throne and on the kingdom, which he comes to consolidate and strengthen with law and justice, now and always; this will do the zeal of the Lord.

Salmi 96(95),1-2a.2b-3.11-12.13.
Sing a new song to the Lord,
sing to the Lord from all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name.

Proclaim his salvation day by day;
In the midst of peoples tell your glory,
to all nations tell your wonders.

Let the heavens rejoice, the earth rejoice,
the sea and what it encloses tremble;
rejoice the fields and what they contain,
let the trees of the forest rejoice.

Rejoice before the Lord who comes,
because he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with justice
and truthfully all peoples.

Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to Titus 2,11-14.
Dearest, the grace of God appeared, bringing salvation for all men,
who teaches us to deny impiety and worldly desires and to live with sobriety, justice and pity in this world,
waiting for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ;
who gave himself up for us, to redeem us from all iniquity and to form a pure people who belong to him, zealous in good works.

From the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Luke 2,1-14.
In those days a decree of Caesar Augustus ordered that the census of the whole earth be made.
This first census was made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
They all went to be registered, each in his city.
Joseph, who was from the house and family of David, also went from the city of Nazareth and from Galilee to the city of David, called Bethlehem, in Judea,
to register with his wife Maria, who was pregnant.
Now, while they were in that place, the days of childbirth were fulfilled for her.
He gave birth to his firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes and placed him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the hotel.
There were some shepherds in that region who watched at night guarding their flock.
An angel of the Lord appeared before them and the glory of the Lord enveloped them in light. They were taken by great fear,
but the angel said to them: "Fear not, behold, I announce to you a great joy, which will be of all the people:
today there was born in the city of David a savior, who is Christ the Lord.
This is the sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger ».
And immediately a multitude of the heavenly army appeared with the angel praising God and saying:
"Glory to God in the highest heaven and peace on earth to the men he loves."

24 December

SAINT PAOLA ELISABETTA CERIOLI

Soncino, (Cremona), 28 January 1816 - Comonte (Bergamo), 24 December 1865

On Christmas Eve he offers us one of the figures most recently held up by John Paul II as a model of holiness: it is mother Paola Elisabetta Cerioli, founder of the Institute of the Holy Family, canonized on May 16, 2004. Born January 28, 1816 from a noble family from Soncino, in the province of Cremona, Costanza Cerioli (as she was called in the registry office) married at 19 years to a man much older than her. He had three children, but they all died very young: one just born, the second at one year, the third at 16. Widowed, rich and alone at 38, she chose to spend her life taking care of orphaned girls in her home. Other young women soon joined her in this work: it was the spark from which the Holy Family Institute sprang, in which she took the vows herself, taking the name of Sister Paola Elisabetta. The male branch of the Brothers of the Holy Family dedicated to the apostolate among agricultural workers soon joined. He died on December 24, 1865. (Avvenire)

PRAYER TO SANTA PAOLA ELISABETTA CERIOLI

Saint Paola Elizabeth, mother, bride and exemplary widow, enlightened by the love of God and by the contemplation of the Family of Nazareth, you lived the gospel of charity in service to the poor and the little ones, founding a new religious family to evangelize and promote the most forgotten humanity. Help us to love Life, to witness the faith in our daily actions, to make room for the Word of the Lord, to be peacemakers. Help us to love the family, a small domestic church, to safeguard its integrity and values, to carry out the project that God has for each of us. May your testimony of charity help us to share the hopes and anxieties of those who are poor and alone, loving and giving us freely. Make us like you united to Christ the Lord, docile to the Holy Spirit, simple and joyful in sobriety and sacrifice; it illuminates our life with faith, in the search for the essential that is the encounter with the Father rich in goodness and mercy.