A true family
Today’s Gospel reading is the genealogy of Christ, just like at Christmas Eve Mass. If you’re anything like me, at this point we have heard this reading, well, about as many times as we are old, and it feels like there is nothing to gain from hearing the names again other than to test whether the proclaimer practiced in advance…
However, if we really start to dive into the content and think about the reading from the time in which it was written, we can start to piece things together. First off, another instance in which descendants are listed in a very similar way is in Genesis chapter 5, which presents the genealogy of Adam. Matthew appears to be making a connection of Jesus as the New Adam here.
Second, when we read through the names, it is clear that Joseph, Jesus’ foster father, is a descendant of David and of Abraham. In our current times, it might be said, “Well, he isn’t the blood relative” or “it’s not his real son.” These are harsh realities of a society that puts such a negative light on the family unit. However, in Jesus’ day, a foster parent was believed to be a child’s true and legal parent. This Gospel reading emphasizes the importance of this and makes sure that everyone in the world knows that Joseph is Jesus’ father, and that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s covenant with Abraham.
At Catholic Charities, we see a lot of splintered families and families that have many different parental makeups — foster, adoptive, step. When we work with them, it is so important to remind them and their children that they are a family, no matter their title. Joseph was and will always be Jesus’ dad, the one that fed him and cleaned his diaper and taught him how to become a carpenter. At Catholic Charities, our job is to bring unity, hope and love to our clients. Let’s always remember that the Holy Family is representative of so many of our families and the families we work with. Let us find peace in that.
Kimberly Baietto is the Parish Engagement Manager at Catholic Charities Fort Worth in Texas.