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R-R-P  Reading - Reflection - Prayer   Dec 17, 2012   
With readers' comments, below                 

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Readings: Today let's use the special before-Christmas readings:  Dec 17

The first reading reminds us that the Messiah, Jesus,
will be born from the tribe of Judah, not from the 11 other tribes of Israel (the 11 other sons of Jacob)

Responsorial Psalm: peace will be a special characteristic of the Messiah

Gospel:  Jesus' family tree according to Matthew. Notice five women in the tree: Tamar (with whom Judah had intercourse, thinking she was a prostitute), Rahab (a prostitute), Ruth (a foreigner), Bathsheba (Solomon's mother, after David had her husband killed) and Mary the wife of Joseph

Reflection:

Jesus' family tree was not a collection of angels, but a group of flesh and blood humans whose lives were often far from innocent. 

Prayer: Jesus, prince of peace, please give peace to my family tree: peace to any ancestors in the next world who are not yet at 100% peace, and peace to everyone living in this world.  Please give peace to the all nations,  to stop peoples fighting each other. Please give peace to all human hearts, to stop people from hurting each other. May this Christmas give our world, our countries, our families, our hearts....a great increase of peace

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