Good News Reflection
Thursday of the Third Week of Advent
December 17, 2009
Today's Readings:
Gen 49:2, 8-10
Ps 72:1-4ab, 7-8, 17
Matt 1:1-17
http://www.usccb.org/nab/121709.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/09_12_17.mp3
Rejoice over the roots of your faith!
Today's Gospel reading might seem boring; it's nothing but a list of names. But if you knew who these people were (their struggles, their misfortunes, their sins, their triumphs), you'd find this scripture to be quite fascinating.
Compare the genealogies of Jesus in Luke's and Matthew's Gospels. You'll notice differences in who is included and who's not, because each had different purposes and points to convey.
Luke was writing to Gentiles; he wanted to prove that Jesus is the Savior of the whole human race, so he traced the roots of Jesus back to everyone's common ancestor, Adam.
Matthew starts with Abraham in order to prove that Jesus was a true Jew. His list includes King David as a forerunner of Jesus the Messiah, because David was a ruler who was specially anointed by God. And Matthew lists others who either prophesied or foreshadowed Jesus. In doing this, Matthew conveys that Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies.
Our heritage affects who we are and what we do with our lives. Have you ever looked at your family tree from the perspective of faith? Which ancestral parents (and other relatives) have passed on to you the gift of Jesus? Who prayed? Who went to church? Who incorporated their faith into their daily activities?
Whether you know of them or not, whether they died long before you were born or not, whether they shared your same religious views or not, they have given you the gift of Jesus.
Matthew's list includes some rotten apples of the family tree: people who sinned in big ways, some who didn't even trust God at all. Jacob, whom we read about in today's first reading, was a liar and a thief and stole his twin brother's birthright in order to obtain the top position in the family. Ahaz, who's another member of Jesus' family heritage, was weak, amoral, and vain.
However, the good news that we learn from Jesus the Messiah is that God heals diseased branches to make good fruits come from them. It's proof that God is superior over everything and that he himself is supreme goodness.
For example, it was because of Ahaz's rebellion that Isaiah prophesied the well-known sign from God of the coming of the Messiah: "The virgin shall conceive and bear a son and name him Emmanuel."
In all kinds of ways, both good and bad, your ancestors have given you the gift of Jesus, or else you would not be interested in reading this reflection today. Thank God for these people! Many of them are now enjoying closeness to him in heaven, so give them your prayer requests and enlist their support. Others are in purgatory, and even there they are praying for you and rejoicing because of how your faith has grown. You are united with all of them in the communion of saints. Value this heritage.
© 2009 by Terry A. Modica
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