Advent Homily OLPH School 12/17/2021 – Genealogy, Ancestry, Family and Salvation History
In today’s Gospel, Matthew gives us Jesus’ genealogy, His family, His ancestors. Matthew gives us a log list of 48 names going back 2,000 years. He starts with Abraham and ends with Jesus, while Luke starts his genealogy with Jesus and goes to Adam.
St. Matthew is emphasizing that Jesus is the Messiah and St. Luke is emphasizing that Jesus the Son of God. They didn’t have Ancestry.Com or any of the other search services available to them; But that didn’t matter because they were establishing Jesus historical and theological identity, and no DNA search can get God’s DNA, only faith can do that.
We know that Jesus is true God, true man and Advent helps us reflect on the wonderful gift of Christmas when we celebrate that event each year. Advent means “coming”, “arrival”; the Advent season has three thrusts: 1. yesterday at Bethlehem when the Son of God was born of Mary, 2. today in our world, in our time- Jesus is always incarnate, and 3. tomorrow when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, returns in glory.
Let me suggest adopting the Seven Salesian Virtues as a great way to make your Advent spiritually nourishing while making the ordinary, extraordinary:
1. Endure Patiently
2. See the Bright Side
3. Show Good Humor
4. Stay Cheerfully Excusing
5. Put on a Good Face
6. Be Appreciative
7. Speak Gently and Show Courtesy
And each day in Advent with this short prayer: Thank you for today, for the good and the trouble, that I experienced. Tonight, as I sleep heal the hurts I caused and the hurts that I experienced. Give me Your Grace, so I can bless your name. Amen.
May God Be Praised!
*The image is available at the Salesian Shop https://www.salesianshop.com/the-sacred-artwork-of-bro-mickey-mcgrath/
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