Category: Uncategorized

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Gospel: Matthew 1:1-17

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.
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar.
Perez became the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab.
Boaz became the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse,
Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asaph.
Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amos,
Amos the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers
at the time of the Babylonian exile.

After the Babylonian exile,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.
Abiud became the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok.
Zadok became the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar became the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Thus the total number of generations
from Abraham to David
is fourteen generations;
from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations;
from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,
fourteen generations.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Over the last number of years, many have used DNA test kits – like 23andMe – to learn more about their ancestry. Such advanced science didn’t exist at the time of Christ. Rather, people traced their history orally.

In today’s Gospel, Matthew traces the lineage of Jesus Christ all the way back to Abraham, who lived thousands of years before him in order to teach us several important lessons.

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First, God acts in history. 

Jesus did not strut onto the world stage as an unimpressive newcomer; his birth was the fruit of long-awaited anticipation – for at least 42 generations, dating back to Abraham.

And through his Spirit, God continues acting in our world, even in our own lives today.

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Secondly, God is a God of inclusion.

Five of the people named in the genealogy of Jesus are women. All of them, with the exception of Mary, are Gentiles, not Jews.

Thus, from the beginning, God’s plan of salvation included men and women, Jews and Gentiles. The Lord still relies upon people of every race and tongue to accomplish his will today.

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Finally, God works through ordinary, even sinful, people. 

Several of those listed in Christ’s genealogy were sketchy characters – from con artists to prostitutes. They remind us that we do not need to be perfect in order to be instruments of grace.

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So, what might the history of Christ’s family tree mean for us?

Just as God relied upon a vast array of characters to prepare the way for his first coming, so he can use any one of us to prepare the way for his second.

In the words of John the Baptist, “Prepare the way of the Lord, and make straight his paths.”

May we be agents of God’s peace today.

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Image credits: (1) Campus Ministry at the University of Saint Mary (2) Dreamstime.com (3) One Family Under God, WordPress

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Gospel: Matthew 21: 28-32

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
“What is your opinion? 
A man had two sons. 
He came to the first and said,
‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 
The son said in reply, ‘I will not,’
but afterwards he changed his mind and went. 
The man came to the other son and gave the same order. 
He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. 
Which of the two did his father’s will?” 
They answered, “The first.” 
Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the Kingdom of God before you. 
When John came to you in the way of righteousness,
you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and prostitutes did. 
Yet even when you saw that,
you did not later change your minds and believe him.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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When the English author G.K. Chesterton was asked, “What’s wrong with the world?” 

He replied, “Sir, I am.”

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Most of us would answer differently.

What’s wrong with the world?

Terrorism. Look no further than Bondi Beach.

Corruption. Racism. Politics. Wildfires. The flu.

Anything – and anyone – but me.

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Why would Chesterton, a devout Christian, say he’s part of the what’s wrong with the world?

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Because he identified with the first of two sons in today’s Gospel, who said “no” to doing his father’s will, refusing to work in his vineyard, but later repented and changed his ways. 

That’s the essence of the Christian journey: not claiming perfection, but acknowledging we are a work in progress. At times, we may ignore our conscience, succumb to temptation, or give into the whims of our ego and flesh. 

But Christians learn from their mistakes, repent of any wrongdoing, amend their ways, and get to work.

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So, what’s wrong with the world?

At times, I am.

Perhaps we all are.

May God give us the grace to grow, forgive, and live as our better selves today.

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Image credits: (1) God & Life & Stuff (2) Anecdote (3) Reddit

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Gospel: Matthew 21: 23-27

When Jesus had come into the temple area,
the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him
as he was teaching and said,
“By what authority are you doing these things?
And who gave you this authority?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me,
then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things.
Where was John’s baptism from?
Was it of heavenly or of human origin?”
They discussed this among themselves and said,
“If we say ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say to us,
‘Then why did you not believe him?’
But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd,
for they all regard John as a prophet.”
So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.”
He himself said to them,
“Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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No one is quicker on their feet than Jesus.

It’s an otherwise ordinary afternoon. We can imagine him standing on the Temple grounds under a tree, while his listeners are shaded from the noonday heat. 

He’s teaching peacefully, when suddenly the religious authorities butt in and question by whose authority he performs miracles, casts out demons, and soon enough, turns over the tables of the money changers.

It’s a trap.

Although the Lord will admit his divine origin, now is not the time. There are other things he must do first – most importantly, celebrate the Passover with his disciples. 

Once he does reveal his full identity, the religious authorities will charge him with blasphemy and put him to death, so Jesus avoids their trap by responding to their question with a question of his own.

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“Where was John’s baptism from? Was it of heavenly or human origin?” the Lord asks them.

Although they must’ve known John was a prophet – they were the guardians of the faith – they would not admit it, for that would give credence to Jesus.

So, they claim ignorance, saying, “We do not know.”

That was an act of cowardice.

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We may find ourselves in a similar situation someday. 

Someone asks us a question, but we’re afraid to tell the truth.

We have the opportunity to witness to our faith, but recognize it’ll come at a cost.

We see wrongdoing, but fear to speak up.

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The question is never, “What is safe to say?” But, “What is right to say?”

The truth. Always the truth.

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Image credits: (1) BuddC.org (2) Peter Paul Rubens, The Tribute Money (3) Reader’s Digest