First Reading

Reading from the book of Genesis

Genesis 49:2, 8-10

In those days, Jacob called his sons and said to them:
“Come near and listen to me, sons of Jacob;
listen to your father, Israel.
Judah, your brothers shall praise you;
you shall put your hand on the head of your enemies;
your father’s sons shall bow down before you.

You are a lion’s cub, Judah:
you have returned from killing the prey, my son,
and you have lain down to rest, like a lion.
Who would dare to provoke you?

The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,
until he comes to whom it belongs
and to whom the peoples owe obedience”.

Gospel

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew 

Matthew 1:1-17

Genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, Jacob begot Judah and his brothers; Judah begot Perez and Zerah from Tamar; Perez begot Hezron, Hezron begot Ram, Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, Nahshon begot Salmon, Salmon begot Boaz from Rahab; Boaz begot Obed from Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot King David.

David begot Solomon from the wife of Uriah, Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rehoboam begot Abijah, Abijah begot Asaph, Asaph begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, Joram begot Uzziah, Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, Ahaz begot Hezekiah, Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, Amon begot Josiah, Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers during the exile in Babylon.

After the exile in Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakim, Eliakim begot Azor, Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Achim, Achim begot Eliud, Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, Matthan begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, called the Christ.

Thus, the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen; from David to the deportation to Babylon is fourteen, and from the deportation to Babylon to Christ is fourteen.