The gospel today is “the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” I am a genealogist, so I like the list of names, generation to generation.  It shows continuity, and our connection to the past, present, and soon the future.  It is not just a list of old dead people.   It tells the story of father and son and grandson. These are the people we are connected to. These are our relationships. These are the people who gave us life.  Without them, we would not exist.

One thing I like about finding about my ancestors is connecting them to a different time period and realizing that they were young and alive during that time.  My great grandfather was a youth in New York City during the Civil War.  My great- great grandmother came to the US from Germany and found her way to California, by ship.  By placing them in history, I can connect myself to a different time and place.   Joseph’s ancestors go back to Abraham, putting ancestors in every era of Jewish history.  Jesus, as the legal son of Joseph, is connected to every generation of Jews. The Jews were the chosen people of God, and he was eligible to participate in Jewish culture and life. The Messiah was to be of David’s line, so it was important to show that Jesus was of David’s line, part of his inheritance.

What do we inherit from our ancestors?   People often think of money they receive or the china or silver passed down.  But my ancestors gave me more than things.  They gave me life, strength, love, hope, and  faith.  Would I be a Catholic without my parents or grandparents having the same faith?  Would I be a member of this community if my ancestors were not religious? Would I be the person I am without my family?  Especially at Christmas time, when we remember the Christmases of our childhood, we remember our families and ancestors, and want to pass on to our children the same abundant feelings of love, hope, wonderment, and faith that we received from others.  

We are not alone. We are descended from many others, who also had faith, and struggles and hope.  During Advent, we await the birth of a baby. All babies are the gift of hope, the gift of the future, the gift of continuation, from our ancestors through us to the future.  Jesus comes as a baby to give us hope, and he promises us a future. What a joyful faith we have!