Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent

Matthew goes to great length to chronicle Jesus’ family, all 42 generations, starting with Abraham and ending with Mary and Joseph. (Can you imagine the time and energy that went into assembling this information, and all without Ancestry.com?) Matthew’s efforts were worthwhile, as a family’s history, the good and the sad, is what holds us together and keeps us as one.

In addition to our own earthly families, we are also part of the largest family of all, God’s family. And as it is with our earthly families, we have an active role to play not only to sustain God’s family, but to see it grow in strength and importance. For as Jesus says in Matthew 12:49, "For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."

As we head into the final week of Advent ready to celebrate the most wondrous event for all families, the birth of a child, and for us the birth of our Savior, let’s be thankful for not only being a part of our earthly family, but also a part of God’s family. And as members of God’s family we need to look at the person in the pew next to us at church, ahead of us at the grocery store checkout line, or shuffling to the homeless shelter, as part of our family, for we – all of us – are children of God. Let us love, respect, obey, and imitate all that is good not only among our earthly families, but among our heavenly family.