The Family Tree of Faith

Christmas Day is exactly one week from today!

Already? How can it be? Are you ready?

This is likely a typical conversation taking place around the world. I imagine many people automatically answer with whether or not they have finished their Christmas gift shopping. Yes, we want to be ready with the gifts, decorations, groceries, and festivities. But what about our hearts?

Is your heart ready to welcome Jesus the Newborn King?

In this third week of Advent, we are called to be filled with Joy as we wait to see the face of God. We look inward with a self-examination of our expectations. Do we expect too much or perhaps not enough of God, ourselves, and those around us this time of year?

Christmas is about miracles.

The miraculous birth of God into our human world. The deep and abiding faith of Blessed Mary and Joseph in fulfilling their role in the miraculous birth for the Salvation of the World. How attentive are we to the miracles happening now in our midst?

This week's Readings invite us to reflect on who and what has authority over our lives. Who do we turn to for daily direction and guidance? Who has the most influence on our intentions and actions? I suspect we all waver back and forth in mimicking one or the other of the two sons in Tuesday's Gospel Reading from Matthew. There are times when we say, 'Yes!' to a nudge or call to work in the Lord's vineyard, then we fail to follow through; and at other times, we dismiss a request or idea, but later reconsider and do what is right and good. (Think of saying you will pray for someone, then you forget to do it later, rather than praying for and with them in person. Think of donating food to the church food pantry, then ignoring the hungry homeless person on your way to dinner.)

On Wednesday, we hear the genealogy of Jesus from Matthew's Gospel. I have also heard it called the Family Tree of Faith, which puts a new perspective on hearing this long list of names. It's a list filled with stories of courage and struggle, hope and hardship, determination and defeat, sin and redemption, accusation and forgiveness. Just like all of our family stories.

Today, the Gospel of Matthew proclaims the Nativity Story featuring Joseph's 'Yes'. The same Gospel passage will be proclaimed on Sunday for the Fourth Sunday of Advent. I heard a great reflection on this at Mass this morning. Fr. Kennedy asked this interesting question: Why didn't the angel appear to Joseph in person, the same way angels appeared to Mary, the shepherds, Zechariah, and many others in the Bible? No doubt it would be easier to trust and say 'Yes' when an angel of God appears and calls us to a mission in person. When we get a message from God in a dream or in silent prayer, it's more of a challenge to trust that it truly is from God ~ especially if it challenges and frightens us.

Because Mary, Joseph, Zechariah, and the shepherds received and believed God's message of the birth of the newborn King, we know Jesus. Because they shared the Good News with their family and friends, the Family Tree of Faith stayed alive and continued to grow. As a result, we know the Story of Salvation.

We, too, are branches of the Family Tree of Faith.

Take a moment to run through your genealogy of family and friends, and remember those who passed down the teachings of Christ through generations that led to you. Who nurtured your Faith? Now consider the Family of Faith that is to follow this generation. Whose Faith do you nurture?

In this week's Modern Day Parable from Advent Reflections for Our World Today, we see how we are always teaching others, intentionally or not, by our words and actions. We can criticize others and focus on negativity, or we can speak from a place of love and live well in this troubled world. Either way, we are teaching.

Here's a healthy little exercise for this last week of Advent. Which son are you in the Vineyard today? Read through this short list of situations and pay attention to your gut reaction. Ask yourself the following questions and without hesitation, make note of your initial response ~ is it Yes, No, Maybe?

• Do I believe God grants miracles today?
  

• Do I believe God will grant me a Christmas miracle for a long-standing difficult relationship, physical ailment, spiritual drought, or emotional darkness?
  

• Have I prepared my heart this Advent by making time to pray, pause, ponder, reflect, and respond to God's reign over my life?
  

• Am I grasping for the tempting fruits of the world or striving for deeper, meaningful experiences?
  

• Do I speak and act as one who trusts that God is with us and loves us?
  

• Have I been attentive to transforming feelings of discouragement and despair into encouragement and optimism?
  

• Is meeting the Lord in prayer and the Sacraments a priority of my life?
  

• Do my holiday activities and spending portray a cheerful, generous disciple of Christ?

Self-examination is a perfect Advent exercise.

We have one more week to turn some of those No and Maybe answers into an overwhelming Yes! We are called to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and be beacons of Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace in the world. Preparing for the coming of the Lord means reconciling broken and strained relationships, confessing our faults and shortcomings, receiving the Lord's Mercy and forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and spending quiet moments with God so that we are today's messengers of His Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace.

Jesus is waiting to be born anew in each of us!

Let today be the day of softening the hard places and inviting Jesus to be born anew in our lives! My family has experienced restored relationships recently. This is God's miraculous gift of answered prayer! He blessed us after many years of praying over these strained, broken, and hurting spaces. During that extended time of waiting, trusting, hoping, and being persistent in prayer, we were changed individually. The Lord prepared us to be better together. Our hearts are full of love and gratitude!

The most wonderful time of the year is upon us!

We can see it, hear it, and smell it. All of our senses are engaged by the familiar lights, scenes, songs, and baked goods in this Season! It truly is a wonderful time!

Wishing you a Joyous and Blessed Christmas!