Today’s Gospel Text: The
book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2 Abraham
was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of
Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of
Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father
of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of
Ammin'adab, and Ammin'adab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of
Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of
Bo'az by Rahab, and Bo'az the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of
Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of
David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uri'ah, 7 and Solomon the father of
Rehobo'am, and Rehobo'am the father of Abi'jah, and Abi'jah the father of Asa, 8 and Asa the father of
Jehosh'aphat, and Jehosh'aphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of
Uzzi'ah, 9 and Uzzi'ah the father of
Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezeki'ah, 10 and Hezeki'ah the father
of Manas'seh, and Manas'seh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josi'ah,
11 and Josi'ah the father of
Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon. 12 And after the deportation
to Babylon: Jechoni'ah was the father of She-al'ti-el, and She-al'ti-el the
father of Zerub'babel, 13 and Zerub'babel the father
of Abi'ud, and Abi'ud the father of Eli'akim, and Eli'akim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of
Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eli'ud, 15 and Eli'ud the father of
Elea'zar, and Elea'zar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of
Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 18Now
the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been
betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child
of the Holy Spirit; 19 and her husband Joseph,
being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her
quietly. 20 But as he considered this,
behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph,
son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived
in her is of the Holy Spirit; 21 she will bear a son, and
you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their
sins." 22 All this took place to
fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 "Behold,
a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel"
(which means, God with us). Matt
1:1-16,18-23
Reflection: Was
Jesus really the son of Abraham and the son of David, as pointed out by the Matthean
genealogy?
Why
then does the genealogy try to draw a connection between Jesus and the Old
Testament prophets?
From
what we know, subsequently in the same passage, that Jesus was born of Mary
through the action of the Holy Spirit.
When
we read the Lukan genealogy we see that Mary is the connecting factor between
humanity and divinity, which Matthew’s gospel here brings out so prominently.
Matthew
writing to a Jewish audience, shows a connection between the humanity of Jesus
and his divinity, which doesn’t fit into the human mind easily.
But
when both these genealogies are looked at through one eye then we see that each
of them have one goal: to show Jesus whose origin is divine, has also a human root.
In
the light of it, though Matthew’s Gospel may sound like a male dominated chauvinistic
stance or as some would say; ‘dominated by patriarchy’. Yet in keeping with the
truth of man, it brings out the relationship much more beautifully than Luke.
Relationships
are not necessarily created by blood or background but also through covenants and
marriages.
Mary
is no way belittled by Matthew when giving Joseph’s background, but is drawn
into the newness of relationship by acceptance through love and marriage,
through the intervention of an Angel.
Like
Joseph and Mary, each in its own way, according to ones upbringing and
background is called upon to receive the gift of God.
Prayer: Lord,
help me to receive the constant gift of yourself and receive it with gratitude
and praise.
DD = Dedicated
Discipleship: Come grow
in the Lord with us
Happy feast to each one you and may Mary, the queen conceived without sin, intercede for your Salvation now and forever!
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