The Lineage of Wholeness

~~~ Genesis 49:2, 8-10 ~~~ Psalm 72 ~~~ Matthew 1:1-17 ~~~

 

Today in the gospel from Matthew we are given seventeen verses

listing the genealogy of Jesus.

The older I get the more my ancestral history has come to be valued.

When you are young you don't think too much farther back

 than your grandparents.

It is difficult for children to grasp the concept

that their parents were once little children just like them.

 

In an effort to teach the value of ancestors teachers often

give the family tree assignment.

I remember one of my younger sisters getting in trouble

with her teacher for not placing

any aunts and uncles on her family tree illustration.

When in reality my sister was correct.

Our parents are both only children

so we do not have any aunts and uncles.

An entire section of our family tree has no branches.

Really strange when you think about it...

are the branches bare or do they just not exist at all?

 

Establishing the lineage of Jesus fulfills the prophecies,

but it gives us a human connection to him.

We can identify with and understand the importance

of family connections.

Listing, as in a litany, the lineage of Jesus

gives it a formality worthy

of who he is...the Son of God.

 

Life has a rhythm and reciting the ancestors of Jesus

also sustains a rhythm

all of its own.

 

This passage proclaims Jesus as one of us even before the

angel Gabriel appeared to Mary.

The lineage of Jesus was evolving with the passage of time.

 

I do not believe in numerology, but I think you would agree

that some numbers have

specific meaning in the Bible.

That is another whole blog post for the future.

 

I began to explore the number fourteen in the Bible.

Thus the total number of generations
from Abraham to David
is fourteen generations;
from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations;
from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,
fourteen generations.

 

We know that the number seven implies perfection or completeness.

To the Jews the number seven or its multiples was significant.

The seventh day was the Sabbath.

The seventh month was holy and had three feast days.

At Passover fourteen lambs were offered.

 

Thus the lineage of Jesus is connected

for us to perfection and completeness.

When Jesus was born the Old Testament prophecies were finally complete.

From Abraham to the Nativity many generations passed,

 before the coming of the Christ child.

 

 

If one looks closely at this lineage of Jesus you see that there are several

individuals that you would not care to have in your family tree.

 

But here they are in the family tree of Jesus.

Jesus comes into our midst no matter what.

We cannot make the excuse of not being worthy.

We cannot be boastful about being worthy either.

 

Jesus enters into the good times of our life,

as well as the bad times.

 

So I guess one could say that there is some darkness

even in the lineage of the Christ.

What matters the most is that when was born all darkness was dispelled.

His light broke into the darkness making it possible for us

to inherit the grace to live a holy life.

 

This Christmas as your family comes together remember that you

have the light of Christ;

it is up to you to let it shine out to your family.

 

As part of the Body of Christ we are continuing the lineage of

the baby in the manger lying in the hay.

Shout for Joy

~~~Third Sunday of Advent~~~

~~~ Zephaniah 3:14-18a~~~Psalm(Is12)~~~Philippians 4:4-7~~~Luke 3:10-18~~~

 

As the coming of the Lord draws near excitement builds.

"Shout for joy...Sing joyfully...Be glad and exult with all your heart...

fear not...the Lord, is in your midst..."

 

When you are filled with joy and excitement for something to occur

that you have long awaited it is a glorious feeling.

The coming birth of the Lord is such a cause for extreme joy.

 

Today in our feeble attempt to relive the true joy of the Nativity

we have festive parties...

we decorate our homes with twinkling lights...

we give generously to family, friends, and strangers...

we sing Silent Night.

 

The excitement and joy of the little children dreaming about Santa

makes us wish it was contagious.

We encourage the kids to write their letters to Santa.

You can now even track Santa's travels across

 the nighttime skies on the computer.

 

It is so easy to forget the real reason we are celebrating.

The birth of the baby Jesus was such a profound event

that it has been preserved for some two thousand years.

 

The whole story surrounding His birth fascinates both young and old.

 

 

What I heard in the Gospel today was not to hoard.

"Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none.
And whoever has food should do likewise."

We should be generous with what we have.

We should not hold on to more than we need.

 

To the local tax collectors John the Baptist advised...

"Stop collecting more than what is prescribed."

Do not be greedy and selfish...avoid corruption...

avoid taking advantage of the less fortunate.

 

While John had been given the wisdom to preach the word of the Lord;

in his humility he accepts the fact that the one coming...Jesus...

is so much more than he.

 

John did baptize in the name of God the Father,

the Son and the Holy Spirit,

but he used water.

He foretells that the one who is to come

will baptize with fire..

tongues of fire of the Holy Spirit.

 

We have the blessing to experience both in our lives today.

Baptism of water and Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

 

Live your life listening to what your heart tells you

and you will live a life of generous love.

May the Joy of the season

illuminate your heart.

Rock, Paper, Scissors

~~~ Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11 ~~~ Psalm 80 ~~~ Matthew 17: 9a, 10-13 ~~~

One of the oldest children's games is Rock Paper Scissors.

It is popular because it requires nothing but a friend and yourself.

Here are the rules:

Rock...make a fist with your hand

Paper....lay your hand out flat

Scissors...make a cutting motion

by opening your pointer and middle fingers

Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, paper beats rock...

The objective is to select a gesture which defeats that of the opponent.

It is a fun game to select a 'winner'.

 

In the scriptures today we have Elijah, John the Baptist, and Jesus.

"In those days,
like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah
whose words were as a flaming furnace..."

 

Elijah came before John the Baptist.

John the Baptist came before Jesus.

The coming of Jesus brings more than any of the prophets

or even John the Baptist could offer.

 

John the Baptist confirms what the prophets had been proclaiming

 for many previous years including Elijah.

 

Elijah could call down fire from the sky.

John the Baptist scooped up water from the Jordan River,

poured it over the head of Jesus parting the sky for

the voice of God to proclaim...

this is my beloved Son...

Jesus broke the chains of sin and opened the gates of heaven

so that we may enter into eternal life with him in heaven.

 

Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.

 

 

We do not need the play the game of Rock, Paper, Scissors

to see the face of God.

The birth of Jesus in a humble stable 'beats' everything else.

We can see the face of God in the face of the child Jesus.

 

None of the prophets; not Moses or Elijah not even John the Baptist

can compare to what this child Jesus does for us.

He comes with the power given to him from the Father.

He has power over earth, wind, fire, and water.

 

We are in the middle of Advent

the birth of our salvation draws nearer with each passing day.

It is good for us to reflect now on how much

we appreciate what has been done for us.

God sent his only beloved son to live among us.

The Word becomes flesh...

and he lives among us.

Let us rejoice and be glad!

What is For Your Good

~~~ Isaiah 48: 17-19 ~~~ Psalm 1 ~~~ Matthew 11:16-19 ~~~

I remember hearing my grandmother use the phrase, 'it's good for you'

usually when I had to eat something I did not like.

And guess what, I would find myself telling my own

children the same thing.

Is it only those things that we do not like

or do not want to do that are good for us?

Today God is saying something similar...
 

"I, the LORD, your God,
teach you what is for your good,
and lead you on the way you should go."

He continues speaking about the commandments.

Sometimes we cannot convince ourselves that keeping

the commandments is actually good for us.

We try so hard to ignore what is 'good for us' and instead

do what feels good.

We think keeping the commandments is pretty easy,

when in reality they are a real challenge.

God never told Moses that the people would feel good

if they kept the commandments.

But so often when we are caught up in sin

that is a huge factor.

Let's call it the feel good factor...FGF.

Children are often motivated by instant gratification,
but for some it continues into their adult life.

Those who keep the commandments and follow the Lord
will have 'the light of life'.
The light of life is certainly 'good for us'.
Not only will it be good for us to have the light of life,
but we can use this light to help others.
We can be a light in this world of doom and gloom.
We can be the light of hope.
We can be the light of faith.
We can be the light of love...forgiveness...compassion...
you decide what kind of light is good for you.

When you find yourself staring at the beautiful colored Christmas lights
today think of the light that you are for others.
Lights are either on or off,
but when you have the Light of the Lord
it can burn brightly day and night. It can be seen from near and far.
The Light of the Lord never burns out...
The Light of the Lord never grows dim.
The Light of the Lord is good for you...

When you have the Light of the Lord you can see clearly...
you can see that it matters not what you eat and drink 
as long as you are carrying him with you.

Jesus came for all people,
not just those who ate the proper foods, lived in a certain place,
or dressed in royal robes.
His Light does not discriminate.

Fountains in the Desert

~~~ Memorial of Saint Lucy ~~~

~~~ Isaiah 41:13-20 ~~~ Psalm 145 ~~~ Matthew 11:11-15 ~~~

 

God will answer the needy. He will hear all who call on him.

 

I, the LORD, will answer them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.

 

The Lord God promises to bring forth springs of fresh water.

He will bring forth water in the most unlikely places...

bare heights and deserts.

Not only will streams of flowing water but fountains of water as well.

There is the possibility of abundant life in moving water.

God does not provide us with stagnant water,

but rather water that is life giving from himself.

He is the source of this water.

 

Isaiah specifically writes of the trees which will be planted in the desert land...

there will be all sorts of trees growing here.

The trees will emerge here even though this is not there normal habitat.

 

Trees have a meaningful place in the scriptures...

from the crib to the cross; trees have been put to use.

In the Garden of Eden we find the great tree of good and evil.

Many psalms make reference to trees as an example of God's care.

Trees have been used in the parables Jesus told.

Jesus called down one of his followers down from a tree top.

 

It is wonderful that trees are such a central part of our Christmas season.

We see them decorated everywhere we go...

in our homes, in our retail stores, outside in yards...

trees stand adorned with whatever is placed upon their branches.

 

 

Those who have ears ought to hear...

God brings life to the barren dry desolate wasteland.

He adorns the banks of the living water with trees of every sort.

 

John the Baptist was the link between the Old Testament and the New Testament.

He foretold the coming of the Lord and when the appointed time came he took Jesus into the Jordan river, submerged him, and proclaimed him to be the Son of God.

The heavens opened and God exclaimed joy for his Beloved Son.

 

The trees and all that is living flourish in the presence of the Lord.

 

As you decorate your Christmas tree this year let it be a reminder of how God

is there for you in his roll as shepherd and as the one who brings forth

the living water in joyful fountains, perhaps even dancing fountains.

 

Saint Lucy knew what it meant to listen for the voice of the Lord.

She models for us what it means to be joyful in the Lord,

even in the face of death.

 

St. Lucy, Pray for us!

Blessed Above All Women

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

 

~~~ Revelation 12:1-6a, 10a,b ~~~ Psalm: Judith 13-18 ~~~ Luke 1:26-38 ~~~

 

The completion of Mary's conception with Jesus brought together

the power of God and the salvation of all of mankind.

If for some reason Mary would have been too frightened to hear

all that the angel said to her salvation history might

look very different.

 

I do believe that God would have found another way to accomplish

his salvation plan, just maybe not in the same manner.

 

Over time Mary is so loved that she has appeared in many different

types of clothing. Who would have thought Mary to be such a typical woman.

I am smiling as I write this because Mary truly was a typical woman.

All kidding aside...

She was a typical woman chosen and blessed by God.

 

He chooses each of us to carry on the work he started here on earth.

He has chosen us to carry on the work that Mary so courageously

continued after he was crucified.

 

We do not have any writings that I know of of Mary going out and teaching.

But we could certainly expect that she told his stories

of love, care, compassion, and healing to anyone who would listen.

 

 

Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God,
above all the women on earth;
and blessed be the LORD God,
the creator of heaven and earth.

 

It is so fitting that during the Advent season we would be blessed with

two occasions to honor Mary just a few days apart.

 

Mary is a key figure in our salvation.

She was a willing participant in the loss of her son

so that we could be saved...

so that we could enter into eternal life with Jesus and herself.

 

The Holy Spirit was at work making things perfect in the heart

of Mary at the Annunciation.

And I know from experience when the Holy Spirit wants you

 to do something it eventually comes to be realized.

 

Not only was Mary overshadowed by the Holy Spirit,

but her cousin Elizabeth was also filled with

that same spirit.

It does not matter if you are young or old

the Holy Spirit

finds a way for you to be useful.

When the Holy Spirit pours on the grace

like gravy on mashed potatoes

it is hard to refuse his or her request.

(I added 'her' just to see if you were paying attention)

 

Mary is a model person for all of us, men and women alike.

 

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior."

 

She never let her 'special' motherhood

go to her head.

She remained convicted by what God had done in her.

She was the vessel now; the new ark of the covenant.

 

Surely Mary had many opportunities to embrace the child Jesus

during his formative years.

Today she is opening her arms to receive all who come to her.

No other human being was ever as physically close to Jesus as Mary.

She loves us first and foremost because Jesus loves us.

His Breath of Comfort

~~~ Isaiah 40:1-11~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~ Matthew 18:12-14 ~~~

 

 

At the beginning of chapter 40 in the book of Isaiah

the people of Judah were in exile.

They had failed to listen to the word of God.

They just could not get their act together.

So what was their future?

Would God move on to another group of people and leave these

people to suffer their own consequences?

 

The first few verses we have today is God's response.

"Comfort, give comfort to my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her
that her service is at an end,
her guilt is expiated..."

 

God is speaking words of forgiveness for their past offenses.

Just as he speaks words of forgiveness to us for our offenses today.

God will never abandon his chosen ones.

 

The wonderful thing about God is that he grants pardon

and forgiveness whether or not you may deserve it.

The question of deserving is not part of the relationship where

God is concerned. Here again we are reminded that

the ways of God are not like our ways.

 

Children often feel their punishment

is out of proportion for their offenses;

so it is not surprising that this community

felt God had punished them long enough.

"...Indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD
double for all her sins."

 

Repenting for our past offenses may mean retreating to the desert for a time.

Alone in the desert one can better focus on the hear God's voice.

 

"...In the desert prepare the way of the LORD!"

 

The verses go on to provide proof that with God

nothing is viewed as an obstacle.
Whether it is mountains or valleys, rugged or flat plains

the glory of the Lord will be revealed.

 

 

God, like a good shepherd, nurtures and cares for his sheep.

A good shepherd counts his sheep and knows if even one is missing.

He goes out in search of the solitary lost sheep;

he gives him comfort upon finding him.

 

This is a comforting image of God as the good shepherd

rather than unapproachable royalty,

such as a king or queen.

As we have seen in the media royalty

rarely interacts with the general public.

When the royal family ventures out among the common people

they are surrounded by security.

Jesus moved freely mingling with the 'common' people of the area.

Jesus felt most comfortable among the poor and the lowly.

He sought out the lost lonely sheep.

He reached out to them drawing them into his loving care...

just as good shepherd.

 

Is there an area of your heart that would benefit

from the comfort of the good shepherd?

Be patient he will come with his breath of comfort,

as he gathers you to his 'bosom'.

 

We wait on the Lord with anticipation.

Comfort, give comfort to my people...

how sweet the sound of these words of the Lord.