My precious brothers and sisters, as we continue on in this blessed season of Advent, we enter a journey filled with anticipation — a journey that prepares us for the joyous celebration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Today’s readings remind us of the importance of correctly identifying Jesus and understanding His lineage, which, in turn, deepens our appreciation of this waiting period, leading us to recognize the incredible gift given to the world on Christmas day.
In our first reading from the Book of Genesis, we hear Jacob giving a prophetic blessing to his son Judah, predicting his significance in the history of Israel: “The scepter shall never depart from Judah.” This holds particular importance to our faith for it marks the beginning of recognizing Jesus’ royal and messianic lineage. He is a descendant of kings, specifically King David, who also comes from the tribe of Judah.
This lineage is important because it fulfills prophecies in the Hebrew Bible concerning the coming of a Messiah who would restore God's kingdom, yet Jesus does this in a way which no one saw coming, for as he revealed in the gospel, the kingdom is in our midst and within us. Judah is described as a lion, a powerful symbol of strength and leadership. In biblical tradition, lions are often associated with power, majesty, and authority. This metaphor suggests that the tribe of Judah is destined for greatness precisely because the one and only, and most perfect Deliverer, the Messiah would come from it, fulfilling the ancient promise of redemption.
Then we move to the genealogy in the Gospel of Matthew, which encapsulates the lineage of Jesus. This isn’t just a list of names; it is a testimony to God's faithfulness throughout the generations. It connects Jesus to the patriarchs of our faith—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and King David. Matthew meticulously details these names to assert to his audience that Jesus is indeed the promised one, the culmination of God's redemptive plan. This genealogy underscores how important it is to identify Jesus correctly — He is not just a historical figure; He is the fulfillment of promises made to our ancestors and the King we await even now, to return once again, for he can already be said to have returned when he rose from the dead and “returned” in appearances to those people who had accompanied him throughout his life, like the apostles, and of course, our Blessed Mother. But now, we await him once again, as he promised, on the last day, when he will return to judge the living and the dead, and in his great love for us, take us to our eternal home should we through his mercy be deemed worthy of heaven.
Therefore, understanding who Jesus is — the Lion of Judah, the descendant of David, the fulfillment of the law and the prophets — infuses our Advent journey with a sense of purpose and urgency. It invites us to reflect on our own lives. Are we recognizing Jesus as the King of our hearts? Are we allowing His royal lineage and divine nature to shape how we wait and prepare? Are we sitting on the fence, or giving him our all? Are we lukewarm, neither hot nor cold? I realize I am speaking to good, honest, God-fearing people, but how can we all give that little bit more? There’s always room to improve on our virtue—always.
May our Blessed Mother continue to show us the way to Jesus. May she continue to be patient with us, and remind us to “listen to him, and do what he says.” She knows that he is the great “Lion of Judah”, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, and that without him, nothing exists and could be sustaining in its existence. Most of all, she wants to show us, over and over again, that we have been loved with an eternal, unconditional love, in every moment, every instance of our lives. Believe it. Know it. Live it. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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