Genealogy presented to contemplate action

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today nudge us to consider genealogy as a map of how we are on the journey in our relationship with God for the long haul.

Genealogy as guide

The text from the Book of Genesis highlights the blessing of Jacob for his son Judah as heading the tribe destined to be the rulers of the people.

* [49:10] Until tribute comes to him: this translation is based on a slight change in the Hebrew text, which, as it stands, would seem to mean, “until he comes to Shiloh.” A somewhat different reading of the Hebrew text would be, “until he comes to whom it belongs.” This last has been traditionally understood in a messianic sense. In any case, the passage aims at the supremacy of the tribe of Judah and of the Davidic dynasty.1

In Psalm 72, the monarchy of Israel is connected to the Patriarchs.

* [72:17] May the tribes of the earth give blessings with his name: an echo of the promise to the ancestors (Gn 12:3; 26:4; 28:14), suggesting that the monarchy in Israel fulfilled the promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob2.

The passage from the Gospel from Matthew that connects Jesus as Messiah to the lineage of David is deep in symbolic meaning.

* [1:17] Matthew is concerned with fourteen generations, probably because fourteen is the numerical value of the Hebrew letters forming the name of David. In the second section of the genealogy (Mt 1:6b–11), three kings of Judah, Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah, have been omitted (see 1 Chr 3:11–12), so that there are fourteen generations in that section. Yet the third (Mt 1:12–16) apparently has only thirteen. Since Matthew here emphasizes that each section has fourteen, it is unlikely that the thirteen of the last was due to his oversight. Some scholars suggest that Jesus who is called the Messiah (Mt 1:16b) doubles the final member of the chain: Jesus, born within the family of David, opens up the new age as Messiah, so that in fact there are fourteen generations in the third section. This is perhaps too subtle, and the hypothesis of a slip not on the part of Matthew but of a later scribe seems likely. On Messiah, see note on Lk 2:11.3

The ancient tradition of recitation of “O Antiphons” before Christmas begins in the liturgy today. Fr Roger J Landry shares Meditation Notes on the O Antiphons, the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. They cover the special period of Advent preparation known as the Octave before Christmas.

1) Come, Wisdom of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: teach us to walk in the paths of knowledge.

Barbara Dilly reflects on one verse (the O Antiphon for December 17) that offers the most insight to her (Psalm 72: 17 is cited in error).

“Guiding creation with power and love”The same article points out that God’s hopes and desires for us are to be truly human.  That is what God in love hopes we will become. That is why he sent us his son, as truly human, to show us what we can be as human beings.
“Come to teach us the path of knowledge”We are learning in the class how to engage in discernment.  It is not just a “pragmatically effective way of making choices.  It is rather a framework which enables us to join in partnership with God in making choices which will help to bring about the fulfillment of God’s generous hopes and desires for the world and for us” (65).5

Don Schwager quotes “Judah who received the promise of royalty foreshadows the Christ the King, ” by Rufinus (340-410 AD).

"This can be referred to the historical Judah as well as to those kings who were his descendants (Genesis 49:8-10). They broke the back of their enemies by administering the kingdom of that people. But this can also be fittingly referred to Christ, who is praised with good reason by his brothers, that is, by the apostles whom he himself called brothers in the Gospel. And his enemies, on whose back is his hand, appear to be those whom the Father promised to place under his feet by saying, 'Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet' (Psalm 110:1). They are enemies as long as they are unbelieving and unfaithful, and for that reason they are struck on the back. But after their conversion they become brothers and praise the One who, by summoning them to the adoption of the Father, has made them his coheirs and brothers. It is said correctly that the back of the enemies is struck by Christ. All those who worshiped the idols turned their back to God, as the Lord, through the prophet, accused them by saying, 'They turned their backs to me, and not their faces' (Jeremiah 2:27). Therefore he strikes their back so that after being converted they may turn their back to the idols and raise their forehead to God and may accomplish what is written here: 'Your father's sons shall bow down before you.' In fact, they adore him when they have become sons of the Father and have received the spirit of adoption in which they cry out, 'Abba, Father' (Romans 8:15-16)." No one calls Jesus Christ Lord except those who are in the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). (excerpt from THE BLESSINGS OF THE PATRIARCHS 1.5)6

Friar Jude Winkler fleshes out the “mace of Judah” in the Book of Genesis. The symbolic number fourteen is DVD (David) in Hebrew numerology. Friar Jude explains the unusual women in the Genealogy of Jesus from Matthew that lead to the Blessed Virgin.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM,  quotes Rowan Williams, and Beverly Lanzetta as he asserts that action needs to be accompanied by contemplation for us to stay on the journey for the long haul. Otherwise, we’re just constantly searching for victims and perpetrators, and eventually we start playing the victim or perpetrator ourselves.

Contemplation is not a new idea; it’s one of the treasures of our Christian tradition. Jesus himself modeled this way of praying and being. It was taught systematically in monasteries for centuries, for example, by Francisco de Osuna (1492–1540), a Spanish Franciscan friar, whose writing liberated Teresa of Ávila. The desert mothers and fathers in Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and Cappadocia understood and cultivated it for centuries. While systematic contemplative teaching was largely lost for the last 500 years, today interfaith and inter-denominational interest in contemplation continues to grow all over the world.8

Contemplation of genealogy in the context of Barbara Dilly’s concern for the care of the earth focuses on the desire we have for well being for our children and grandchildren. The Wisdom we need to act in harmony, on common ground with others, is developed and exercised with a contemplative non-dualistic approach.

References

1	(n.d.). Genesis chapter 49 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved December 17, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/genesis/49
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 72 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved December 17, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/72
3	(n.d.). Matthew 1:1-18. Retrieved December 17, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/matthew1.htm
4	(n.d.). Meditation Notes on the O Antiphons. Retrieved December 17, 2018, from https://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/meditation-notes-on-the-o-antiphons.html
5	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved December 17, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
6	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved December 17, 2018, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
7	(n.d.). 3rd Week of Advent - Mass Readings and Catholic Daily Meditations .... Retrieved December 17, 2018, from https://wau.org/meditations/
8	(2017, December 30). 2018 Daily Meditations - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved December 17, 2018, from https://cac.org/2018-daily-meditations/