The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to meditate on the birth of Mary and how our ancestors have been part of the plan of God for us.
Ancestors in the Plan of God
Paul declares the method of God in the Letter to the Romans: “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”
* [8:28–30] These verses outline the Christian vocation as it was designed by God: to be conformed to the image of his Son, who is to be the firstborn among many brothers (Rom 8:29). God’s redemptive action on behalf of the believers has been in process before the beginning of the world. Those whom God chooses are those he foreknew (Rom 8:29) or elected. Those who are called (Rom 8:30) are predestined or predetermined. These expressions do not mean that God is arbitrary. Rather, Paul uses them to emphasize the thought and care that God has taken for the Christian’s salvation.1
The reading from the Prophet Micah identifies the ruler to come from Bethlehem.
* [5:1–6] Salvation will come through a “messiah,” an anointed ruler. The Book of Micah shares with Isaiah the expectation that God will deliver Israel through a king in the line of David. Bethlehem-Ephrathah is the home of the Davidic line.2
Psalm 13 is a prayer for deliverance from enemies.
* [Psalm 13] A typical lament, in which the psalmist feels forgotten by God (Ps 13:2–3)—note the force of the repetition of “How long.” The references to enemies may suggest some have wished evil on the psalmist. The heartfelt prayer (Ps 13:4–5) passes on a statement of trust (Ps 13:6a), intended to reinforce the prayer, and a vow to thank God when deliverance has come (Ps 13:6b).3
The Gospel of Matthew presents the Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah and relates how the birth of Jesus the Messiah is made known to Joseph.
* [1:18–25] This first story of the infancy narrative spells out what is summarily indicated in Mt 1:16. The virginal conception of Jesus is the work of the Spirit of God. Joseph’s decision to divorce Mary is overcome by the heavenly command that he take her into his home and accept the child as his own. The natural genealogical line is broken but the promises to David are fulfilled; through Joseph’s adoption the child belongs to the family of David. Matthew sees the virginal conception as the fulfillment of Is 7:14.4
Tom Shanahan, S.J. asks “How do we participate in the mystery of this day of birth?” “What is our invitation through the great mystery of Jesus’ becoming like us?” “What is the depth of the joy, peace, and awe at the ways of God who specially guides this event?” Now begins the dawn of God’s work in our healing.
As always, God’s plan is for the betterment of humanity, scarred by the sin of Adam, in the Garden. God’s blessing of Mary begins the drama that touches into each one’s deepest heart/soul. We are so blessed! And Mary’s birth is just the beginning of those rich blessings of God through Jesus. Mary is a central actor in the series of marvelous events that are to follow. We know her ever so slightly through the Gospels’ accounting: at his birth; at the Presentation of Jesus; at Jerusalem and Cana; her personal growth in relating to him; and finally and especially, we know her intimately at the foot of her son’s cross. We know her also through those people that touch our lives deeply and who move us simply by their presence. These special persons quietly guide us in the ups and downs of our lives. It is not too late to consider prayerfully and gratefully these guides who have touched and continue to touch us profoundly. Mary’s birth to Anna and Joachim touches us to the core.5
Don Schwager quotes “Jesus' humanity revealed in the genealogy,” by Severus of Antioch (488-538 AD).
"One must bear in mind therefore that the Evangelists, or rather the Spirit speaking through them, took pains to ensure that their readers believed that Christ was truly God and truly human. Because of what they wrote, no one could possibly doubt that he is God by nature, beyond all variation, mutation or illusion, and that according to the ordered plan of God he was truly human. This is why John could say, on the one hand, 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.' John immediately adds, 'The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us' (John 1:1-2,14). Hence Matthew wrote appropriately, 'The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.' On the one hand he is not able to be counted simply from natural generation among families, since it is written, 'Who shall declare his generation'? (Isaiah 53:8)"He is before the centuries and of one substance with the Father himself, from the standpoint of eternity. But by this genealogy he is also numbered among the families of humanity according to the flesh. For in truth, while remaining God, Christ became man without ceasing to be God, unaltered till the end of time. This is why there is also mention of the ancient patriarchs in the lineage, the narrative and observation of the times and vicissitudes that are indeed proper to human history. Through all this Matthew made it clear that Christ participates in our human generation and in our nature. Otherwise some might claim that he appeared in illusion and in imagination only, rather than by becoming genuinely human. Think of what might have been said if none of this had been written?" (excerpt from CATHEDRAL SERMONS, HOMILY 94)6
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23 asks us to think about how many things came together before our own birth.
There were formative events in the world that affected your family. God’s intervention shaped your family tree until that moment in history when you were born. You aren’t an accident of genetics. You didn’t just show up randomly without a history or without a future. No, God has a plan for your life—a plan centuries and centuries in the making. It’s likely that the ancestors of Jesus didn’t have a clear sense that they would be immortalized in Scripture. Surely Mary didn’t fully grasp her significance as she was growing up in Nazareth. It unfolded over time, and she was able to embrace it as she sought the Lord and his wisdom. It’s the same for us. We may not know the part we are meant to play in God’s plan, and we certainly will never know just how many people we will influence in our lifetime. But we can still choose to follow the Lord and watch as his plan unfolds for us.7
Friar Jude Winkler comments on Micah as a small town boy who did not like the corruption in the big city, Jerusalem. Five women figure prominently and surprisingly in Jesus Genealogy. Friar Jude decodes the Hebrew number 14 as used by Matthew in the Gospel.
A Post by Franciscan Media outlines the history of the celebration of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that he was raised by his parents to think about his own “wrongdoings.” Any scrape we got into, any hurt we caused one another, called for restoration far more than retribution. We had to fix what was broken and heal the relationship, not just say, “I’m sorry” or have a “time-out.” Fr Richard wonders when or why we decided that model of reconciliation was no longer worthy of our time or effort—on familial and societal levels. Howard Zehr, a long-time advocate, teacher, and practitioner of restorative justice, centers the needs of the victims.
Interrelationships imply mutual obligations and responsibilities. It comes as no surprise, then, that this view of wrongdoing emphasizes the importance of making amends or of “putting right.” Indeed, making amends for wrongdoing is an obligation. While the initial emphasis may be on the obligations owed by those who have caused harm, the focus on interconnectedness opens the possibility that others—especially the larger community—may have obligations as well. Even more fundamentally, this view of wrongdoing implies a concern for healing of those involved—those directly harmed, those who cause harm, and their communities. [3]8
Our formation by our parents is a recent step in the unfolding of the plan of God through the lives of our ancestors.
References
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