Introduction
- Once in a sharing of the high school students each student was introducing themselves by saying their names, about their parents and other details. One student came up and said all the things about his family without mentioning his father’s name or occupation. After the sharing one of the teachers approached him and asked him about his parents. He said, ‘I love my mother. I am proud of my grandfather who was a soldier’. But still he did not mention about his father. Later the teacher realized that his father was in prison, for doing something criminal (who was a notorious figure in that community) and this student hated his father.
- In our genealogy we may be proud to say that ‘I am the grandson of ……, or I am the great grandson of ……’. In other words we love some, ignore some and sometimes hate some.
Body
- Today’s gospel is the genealogy of Jesus. What Jesus would have felt when he thought about his ancestors? We can be sure that Jesus loved them all. But a human;
o He would have proud of some, like Abraham, David etc
o He would have ignored some, like Zodok, Achim, Eliud etc
o He would be not so comfortable with some, like Rahab (a prostitute), Tamar (not a righteous women) etc.
- All the people in this genealogy are remembered by us. They found a place in the Bible and became unforgettable because Jesus was added into that list.
- What made them great/unforgettable?
1. Their connectedness to Christ.
§ The difference between the stone in the temple and stone on the way side – both may be of the same place of origin. But one stone is attached to God and so it is respected in the temple, and the other stone is one the way side, ignored and abandoned.
§ Saints are the people, though many were even poor and illiterate, we remember them and venerate them, because they connected themselves to Christ.
2. Even though they were week, God could bring forth a treasure from them.
§ As St. Paul says, “For when I am weak, then I am strong”. (2Cor 12/10). It is because, when he was feeling weak, he depended more on Jesus and the strength of Jesus began to flow to him.
§ Those who feel fragile try to depend on God’s power and God will make them strong.
3. Their role in the salvation history
§ Everybody has a role in the salvation history. Even our least brothers and sisters have their role in Kingdom of God.
§ All the poor and the sinners are included in the salvation plan of God. Therefore we have to;
1. RESPECT the least of our brothers and sisters
2. ACCEPT them as my co-pilgrim to heaven.
Conclusion
- Let us accept all the people in our family, though they might have some problems. Forgiveness is the way of Christ. Forgiveness and love can change the life of others miraculously.
- Let us be connected with Christ always so that we will be great
- When we feel weak, depend more on God. He will make us strong with Holy Spirit
- Let us respect and accept our least of the brothers and sisters and help them since they are my co-pilgrims.
