Today's Gospel, Mt. 1: 1-17, presents the genealogy of Jesus, "the Son of David, the son of Abraham." Jesus is a king whose kingdom will last into eternity. As Jesus says to Pilate, "Mine is not a kingdom of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my men would have fought to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews. As it is, my kingdom does not belong here." Pilate answers: "So, then you are a king?" Jesus respond, saying: "It is you who say that I am a king, I was born for this, I came into the world for this, to bear witness to the truth; and all who are on the side of truth listen to my voice" (Jn 18: 36-38).
Lying in that manger on Christmas day if our King, the one who came into this world to testify to the truth that God is lo0ve, that God is merciful, that God is compassionate, that God is true to his promise to bring salvation, not just to the Jews but to foreigners, as ell, and to all peoples, the great and the small, public and private sinners, those despised and those acclaimed by all.
In Jesus' genealogy, the "skeletons" are let out of the closet: David, an adulterer and a murderer; Rahab, a prostitute of Jericho who sheltered the spies and was admitted to the company of the Chosen People; Tamar, who deceived her father-in-law Judah into an incestuous union; and Bathsheba, who with David, committed adultery; and many others, males and females, of varying decrees of infidelity. There are "skeletons" in the closets of our families as well and in our personal lives also. All are invited into God's Kingdom, into God's light to be purified, made whole, healed of their "infirmities."
What in me needs the light of truth; what am I hiding from the Lord and others? What/who in my family is hiding from the Truth? God excludes no one and no part of me from knowing the Truth and being set free! That is Christmas' gift!
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