Homily Third Thursday of Advent (Mt. 1:1-7) “Jesus’ Family Tree”
Homily Third Thursday of Advent (Mt. 1:1-7) “Jesus’ Family Tree”
Today our Advent readings take a dramatic turn. We move from reflecting on the second coming of Jesus to his first coming. In the next nine days and then through the Christmas season we read the Infancy Narratives.
We begin today by reading the genealogy of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew. Genealogies are used in the scripture as a bridge as we move from one era to the next. Are these genealogies historic? Probably not. They are as much a Theological statement as anything else.
I am reminded of a friend who told me once that he never wanted to do any kind of genealogy. His opinion was that whenever you do a genealogy you may find out about relatives you may not want to know about.
When we look at the genealogy of Jesus, we see some ancestors of the Lord that have questionable reputations. Most of the people in the genealogy are men. Some are women. It is noted that the women are of questionable reputation, but if they are, it was because the men they interacted with were not virtuous.
The most well-known story concerns David and Bathsheba. David murdered Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, so he could hide his affair with her. David’s son Solomon was one of the ancestors in Jesus’ genealogy.
What is the overall message that the Gospel writer is trying to proclaim? He reminds us that God writes straight with crooked lines. God accomplishes his purposes despite human weakness and sin. God can make something holy out of a profane event.
Can we trust in this? Or are we rigid concerning how the human story must unfold. We need to be pliable when it comes to our life with God.
Reflection Questions:
- Have I ever reflected on Jesus’ family tree? Am I uncomfortable about the sinners that are the ancestors of Jesus?
- Does this reality challenge my faith? What do I need to learn from the checkered history of Jesus’ ancestors?
Dear Parishioners,
I would like to remind people to please sign up for Christmas Masses at our webpage. Things could become difficult if everyone wants to come to the same Mass. Our 4:00pm Christmas Eve Mass is at capacity. You will need to register for either the 5:45pm, 7:15pm, 10:00pm on Christmas Eve or 9:00am on Christmas Day. We will follow protocols regarding masks and social distancing. This will challenge us all, but we do want to keep others safe.
Please remember that we have an anonymous donor who will match all new gifts up to $25,000 towards our TTT campaign. This is a great time of the year to donate because of tax incentives. If you have questions, contact Bobbie Vidmar in our office.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints watch over you today.
Fr. Mark