St. Joseph of the Lakes

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots (Isaiah 11:1)

In today’s first reading we hear Nathan the prophet speaking God’s promise to King David; He says: “I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also reveals to you that he will establish a house for you. And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever."

Both of the Gospel genealogies (Matthew and Luke) of Jesus’ lineage tell us that Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus descended from King David.  The more important announcement of Jesus lineage is given by Gabriel the angel as he tells Mary: “Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son and you must name him Jesus He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the house of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end”.  (Luke 1:31-33) By this divine revelation we know that Mary also belonged to the house of David. 

Note the opening line of my reflection: It is not out of the royal dignity that Jesus is born, but instead it is out of the stump of Jesse, (King David’s father). Jesus is born of the same family as David, but in a place and time that are far removed from the luxury of the king’s palace. God fulfills his promise to David through the simple birth of Jesus in a broken world. For thirty years Jesus lives simply in that unassuming place called Nazareth. After he is baptized by John he emerges as the Chosen One. He becomes the branch that grows out of the roots of Jesse. 

Merry Christmas!