Facing death, Jacob called his sons together and blessed them.

For our reflections on the mystery of Christ, the blessing given to Judah, selected for today's first reading, is the most significant as it includes Judah's descendants, David and Jesus: "The sceptre shall not pass from Judah until he comes to whom it belongs." That first of all refers to King David, but only as a symbol of the Messiah. The angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary reveals the true meaning of this blessing: "the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the house of Jacob and his reign will have no end." (Lk 1:32-33). Matthew's Gospel was designed in many ways to demonstrate that Jesus was truly the Messiah, since all the prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled in him. Thus Matthew begins with a genealogy, demonstrating that Jesus was a descendant of Abraham, through Jacob, Judah and David.

The Alleluia verse proclaims that God's divine wisdom guides creation with power and love. The first reading and the Gospel, each in its own way, demonstrate that God guides human history to its fulfilment in Jesus with the same wisdom, power and love.