Ancestors

An account of the genealogy of Jezus the Messiah, the Son of David, the son of Abraham (Matt. 1:1).

            When I was in High School, the Television Series “Roots” inspired many people to trace their ancestry. As someone who was interested in the stories my older relatives told me about the past, I thought about putting together our “Family Tree”. After I proposed the idea to my father, he warned me: “Be careful”. There will be some branches in our Family Tree that are solid and to which you will want to be attached. Other branches will be weak or rotten and you might wish you never knew about them. His warning reminded me how every family is made up of different kinds of individuals.

            In this passage from Matthew, the Evangelist begins his Gospel with Christ’s genealogy. By doing so, he highlights how the :Family Tree” of Jesus included a variety of ancestors.

            Within the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament genealogies provided a record of a person’s descent and identity. More than twenty of them were written down and they confirmed the rights and claims of specific individuals and families within Jewish society. These “Family Trees” also helped put into order the various events in Jewish History. Finally, they demonstrated how God’s interventions on behalf of Israel throughout time were a key part of the unfolding Divine plan. A genealogy was often written at a certain point in History to serve a particular purpose. The Book of Chronicles listed Adam’s descendants down to David in an effort to show Israel’s Monarchy was part of God’s plan. When the Jews returned from their Exile in Babylon the lists found in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah aided resettlement and the re-establishment of Religious Leaders.

            Matthew’s account of Christ’s Birth indicated how it connected the History of Israel to a further unfolding of God’s plan. As a descendant of Abraham, who established the Jewish nation and David, who was associated with a future Messiah, Joseph had solid roots in Israel’s History. His acceptance of Mary and her child (conceived by the Holy Spirit) embodied a union between this past and God’s future plan of Salvation for all people. As God acted in former times to form a covenant with Abraham; establish David as King of Israel; reproach the Jewish people for their sins through Exile in Babylon, now Divine action resulted in the birth of a child who would save humanity from its sins. Yet, the earthly family of Jesus was very human: filled with individuals who were great (Solomon) and obscure (Abiud); good (Hezekiah) and evil (Jeconiah).

            Christmas is the Season to consider how Jesus came to draw all kinds of people to God. Many individuals have personally experienced God’s Blessings and desire to give thanks to the source of them. Some people are not satisfied by what our society thinks will make them happy (money, status, power) and are searching for a deeper meaning in their lives. A few individuals experience a terrible suffering in their lives and want relief. Other people have done something bad and wish their shame and guilt would go away. These individuals differ in their nationality, educational background, social status and standard of living. They do not share the same Social, Moral or Religious Beliefs. However, they are the human family into which Jesus entered 2,000 years ago. By becoming one of us Jesus revealed God’s desire to share the burdens and joys of being human in every situation. He also offered everyone the opportunity to experience the peace and joy which results from a closer relationship with God.

            At Christmas we once again encounter an essential event in the unfolding of God’s plan for humanity: the birth of our Savior. Like Christ’s ancestors, our Church consists of numerous kinds of people. There are some who come to Mass each Sunday while others only show up at Christmas and Easter. While there are couples who decide to get married in the Church some opt for a Civil Marriage or are just living together. Many Catholics follow Church Teachings while others ignore them. However, we all have a common need for Redemption from Sin which was the reason for Christ’s Birth. Christmas is a time to recall God’s Love and desire to save us from Sin. It excludes no one regardless of their situation. By becoming part of a very “human” family, Christ showed he was not afraid to establish a very “human” Church. Let us appreciate this gift which God offers us through his Son.

 

December 25, 2019