Wednesday, December 17, 2025 - December 17
[Gen 49:2, 8-10 and Matt 1:1-17]
"The scepter shall never separate from Judah, or the nace from between his legs, while tribute is brought to him, and he receives the people's homage." [Genesis] The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers...[Matthew]
Today marks the beginning of a kind of liturgical "countdown" to the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The Liturgy of the Hours (breviary) at Evening Prayer will feature the series of "O" antiphons before and after the Magnificat. These antiphons are the source of that endlessly-sung hymn in this season, O come, O come, Emmanuel! and of the symbols hung on "Jesse Trees." The selections of scripture for Mass begin to shine their own particular light on the event to be celebrated. Today's gospel scripture from the Gospel According to Matthew, which was composed for a predominantly Jewish-Christian community, follows an important Jewish custom of the time in which one traced one's genealogy to one of the twelve sons ("tribes")of Jacob. Since the Book of Genesis, in today's first scripture, quotes Jacob as giving a kind of primacy to Judah, the belief arose that the Messiah would be of the tribe of Judah, from which King David came. Joseph, the "husband of Mary", is clearly identified as being of the "house and family of David." [Matt. 2:20, Lk. 2:4) Jesus' ancestral credentials are firmly established!
Scripture scholars are quick to point out that the genealogy is designed to make a point and historically "fudges" a bit. Be that as it may, the message was clear to the original Jewish-Christian audience and is passed on to us that God's plan of salvation has been in place beginning with Abraham. (The Gospel According to John will put that beginning before creation!) Celebrants and deacons will tremble at the challenge of reading all those tongue-twisting biblical names, and listeners may be nodding before it's over, but the content is important and the focus is established for the "countdown." AMEN
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