Esteem Schools,Abak

DECEMBER 8 THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

08-DEC-2022 Readings

All stand. The Priest (May) approaches the Altar with the ministers and venerates it while the entrance Antiphon is Sung:
READING I Genesis 3:9-15.20

[After Adam had eaten of the tree,] the Lord God called to him and said, "Where are you?" And he said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" The man said, "The woman who you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate." Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent beguiled me, and I ate." The Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above all wild animals; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."

The man called his wife's name Eve, because

she was the mother of all living.

The Word of The Lord!.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 98

R. O sing a new song to the Lord, for he has

worked wonders.

O sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked wonders. His right hand and his holy arm have brought salvation.

R. O sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked

wonders.

The Lord has made known his salvation, has shown his deliverance to the nations. He has remembered his merciful love and his truth for the house of Israel.

R. O sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked

wonders.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song, and sing out your praise.

R. O sing a new song to the Lord, for he has worked

wonders.

SECOND READING Ephesians 1:3-6.11-12

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him, according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will, we who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the

praise of his glory.

The Word of The Lord!+

All stand to sing the Gospel Acclamation to welcome the gospel, and remain standing to honour/hear the Master Christ(Himself).

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

R. ALLELUIA.
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.

R. ALLELUIA.

The Gospel ( All stand! )

GOSPEL Matthew 1:26-38

At that time: The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a

son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the

handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according

to your word." And the angel departed from her.

The Gospel of The Lord!.

Reflection
Some consequences of original sin are shame, alienation from God, enmity among humans and hostility between nature and humans. This situation was caused by the disobedience of Adam and Eve, our first parents. God however would not abandon humans in their state of alienation and shame. He would redeem them and restore their original status as holy and blameless children of God. In God's plan of redemption, the Son of God would become a human person to restore the human race. And for this to happen, God has prepared a woman who has found favour with Him, who will conceive and bear the "Son of the Most High". This woman is immaculate, holy, sinless, blameless, innocent, pure and full of grace. Her name is Mary. She receives this singular status through the merits of her Son, Jesus. Each of us has also regained this state of our soul at our baptism through the merits of the sufferings, death and resurrection of Christ. Is my life full of grace, holy, blameless and immaculate like that of Mary? Do I allow myself to be alienated from God through sin?

🌓🌓
Good morning God’s Favourites. Esteem Schools Family 👪 Greetings.

Wishing Esteem Schools' Staff, Students and Pupils a wonderful Midterm Holiday. To the Students and Pupils, remember to complete your holiday assignments before resumption.
Happy weekend & New month of November, 2018.