Today is Thursday the 17 December, in the 3rd week of Advent.

Icelanders sing a setting of ‘Silent Night’.

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 1:1-17

An account of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Aminadab, and Aminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos, and Amos the father of Josiah, 11and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

Who do you think you are?  Many of us are fascinated by our families before us, and uncover all manner of surprises and unsavoury truths, some of which move us deeply.  Our forbearers belong to us.  They form part of who we are.  We see, indeed we feel their humanity - and our own humanity - reflected back at us.

The forbearers of Christ were deeply human; there wasn’t a perfect one among them, in fact some made catastrophic decisions.  And yet they form part of the great family of God.  And each one is named; each one’s name is carefully recorded. Where would you like your name to be recorded? Are there names of others you long to see and hear included? 

As you listen to the passage again ask yourself how you feel to be part of God’s family.  For that is His promise.  He has called you by name.

During this season of Advent, wait in the presence of God the Father, who knows you,  and who calls you by name.  Speak to Him now…

O Wisdom

Lord and Ruler

Root of Jesse

Key of David

Rising Sun

King of the Nations

Emmanuel

Come, Lord Jesus