September 8, 2019, Fr. Ryan Hilderbrand – Lineage of Jesus

The Lord made me his when first he went about his work, at the birth of time, before his creation began.

Long, long ago, before earth was fashioned, I held my course.

Already I lay in the womb, when the depths were not yet in being, when no springs of water had yet broken;

when I was born, the mountains had not yet sunk on their firm foundations, and there were no hills;

not yet had he made the earth, or the rivers, or the solid framework of the world.

I was there when he built the heavens, when he fenced in the waters with a vault inviolable,

when he fixed the sky overhead, and levelled the fountain-springs of the deep.

I was there when he enclosed the sea within its confines, forbidding the waters to transgress their assigned limits, when he poised the foundations of the world.

I was at his side, a master-workman, my delight increasing with each day, as I made play before him all the while;

made play in this world of dust, with the sons of Adam for my play-fellows.

Listen to me, then, you that are my sons, that follow, to your happiness, in the paths I shew you;

listen to the teaching that will make you wise, instead of turning away from it.

Blessed are they who listen to me, keep vigil, day by day, at my threshold, watching till I open my doors.

The man who wins me, wins life, drinks deep of the Lord’s favour;

A record of the ancestry from which Jesus Christ, the son of David, son of Abraham, was born.

Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac of Jacob, Jacob of Juda and his brethren;

Juda of Phares and Zara, by Thamar; Phares of Esron, Esron of Aram,

Aram of Aminadab, Aminadab of Naasson, Naasson of Salmon;

Salmon of Booz, by Rahab; Booz of Obed, by Ruth; Obed of Jesse;

and Jesse was the father of king David. And king David was the father of Solomon, by her that had been the wife of Urias.

Solomon was the father of Roboam, Roboam of Abias, Abias of Asa,

Asa of Josaphat, Josaphat of Joram, Joram of Ozias,

Ozias of Joatham, Joatham of Achaz, Achaz of Ezechias,

Ezechias of Manasses, Manasses of Amon, Amon of Josias;

and Josias was the father of Jechonias and his brethren, at the time of the removal to Babylon.

And after the removal to Babylon, Jechonias was the father of Salathiel, Salathiel of Zorobabel,

Zorobabel of Abiud, Abiud of Eliacim, Eliacim of Azor,

Azor of Sadoc, Sadoc of Achim, Achim of Eliud,

Eliud of Eleazar, Eleazar of Mathan, Mathan of Jacob,

and Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary; it was of her that Jesus was born, who is called Christ.