CONNECT. . .
The Gospel reading at today's Mass comes from right at the beginning of Matthew's Gospel. It gives us something called the geneology of Jesus.
It shows us the human family that Jesus was born into, and all it's ancestors going back a long way.
Jesus was the Son of God, but he was part of a human family too. His human Father was Joseph, and Joseph's line went right back to King David, an important man in the history of Israel. |
REFLECT. . .
You have to wonder why Matthew started off his Gospel by giving a long line of relatives.
He was probably trying to give Jesus some credibility and to link him with Israel's past. But he did more than just that...
By listing the generations of Jesus' family, the Gospel reminds us that family is important. It reminds us that we all come from somewhere and that we are all part of a group of people who love us and care for us.
Jesus wasn't born into a world of individuals, but a world of people who are bonded together.
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PRAY. . .
Loving Father,
We thank you for the families that you have given us.
As we remember the Holy Family during Advent and Christmas, help us to be kind and loving members of our own families. Help us to appreciate them and show them that we care.
Amen.
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