[193] Gen 49:2, 8-10;Ps 72:1-2, 3-4ab, 7-8, 17; Matt 1:1-17.
Hours of 17 December
The "Christmas Novena" begins today. Special texts in Mass & Office,
including the "O Antiphons" at Evening Prayer and as the Alleluia
Verse at Mass.
The weekday readings for the eight days before Christmas are proper to each
day, except on the Fourth Sunday of Advent. On
the Fourth Sunday of Advent, the weekday readings for that date are omitted,
"but they may be anticipated or used later on another day during the
week, especially to avoid duplicating the Sunday readings" (cf. rubric
before Dec 17 in the weekday Lectionary, no. 193).
These weekdays are privileged, so any memorial is considered to be optional. If it is commemorated, at Mass the opening prayer of the memorial is used in place of the seasonal text. At the Office of Readings, after the weekday readings, one may add the Hagiographical Reading of the memorial, the responsory and the concluding prayer. At Morning and Evening Prayer, the prayer of the saint may be added (with its antiphon) after the prayer of the day (omitting the conclusion). (cf. Gen. Intro. Lit. Hours, 238-39.)
[RM]
Traditionally on this day, we remember from Scripture St. Hanania, Mishael and Azaria, three youth in the furnace (cf. Da 3:19–30) [from the Roman Martyrology].
Anniversary:
106th anniversary of the death of P. Henrique Borrel (37) d. 1914 at Belém, Cachoeira, Bahia, Brazil.
Anniversary:
42nd anniversary of the death of F. William Lovell (77) d. 1978 at Salisbury, Rhodesia.
Anniversary:
13th anniversary of the death of P. Philip O'Keefe (61) d. 2007 at Dublin, Ireland.
Anniversary:
1st anniversary of the death of P. Ignatius Zvarevashe (ZIM) (76) d. 2019 at Harare, Zimbabwe.
