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December 17, 2020The Gospel today is the very beginning of St. Matthew’s Gospel, and it is St. Matthew’s recording of the genealogy of Jesus. This highlights the importance of Jesus descending from David in his claim to be the Jewish messiah. Without His connection to David, no Jewish person would believe that He is the Jewish messiah. It is clear that this connection is true, as Jesus’ lineage is not questioned at any point during His life.
Another key aspect of this genealogy is that it doesn’t attempt to make Jesus’ ancestors perfect. With the inclusion of Tamar, Rahab, and even David himself, St. Matthew directly identifies Jesus with sinners who have been redeemed by God - a foreshadowing of Jesus’ purpose. In the same way, let us not attempt to display ourselves as perfect during this Advent season. Let us admit that we are sinners and seek out God’s infinite mercy which came to us through His Son, Jesus Christ.
