The Vigil Mass for the Nativity of the Lord – the first Mass of Christmas – and how does the gospel begin? - A list of names – That is not only how this gospel reading begins – but the beginning of Matthew’s gospel - and the very start of the New Testament – is a list of names.
It may be easy to dismiss the genealogy as a list of names – yet lists of names are so important – The list of Popes going back to St Peter, through which one can see the history of the church – those that came before us – the history of the Church – the drama of salvation of which we are a part! - The roll of canonized saints, again the examples and teaching of those who came before us – who built so much of what we celebrate – who spread the gospel – who witnessed to the faith with their lives. A list is so important that in one of the Eucharist Prayers – the Roman Canon – we hear those lists of the first foundations of the Cuch in Rome – and martyrs who died for their faith in Rome.
And not just the Universal church – but in each parish, there are lists of names – baptismal registers – those who were baptized into Christ – becoming children of God here at the parish – Wedding register – the formation of families at the parish. Death registers – those who have gone before us who build the parish – for whom we regularly pray. – List of donors for capital campaigns who donated to sustain and run the parish that we are a part of today – lists of names have importance.
In a family – the list of names through history – the genealogy – is not just a list of names – but a whole narrative – a drama – of that family – and where one puts his name marks his place in the family – The history of a family is not always smooth – it has its ups and downs – but it is someone’s family.
A list of names is rarely just a list – And this here today is not just any list of Names – it is the genealogy of Christ – Father to Father – from Abraham down to Joseph – the betrothed of Mary. The list of the history of the Jewish people – starting with Abraham and the patriarchs.
For Christ is not just an idea or a nice thought – He is not an abstract principle or just a reason for the family to gather and an excuse to take time off from work - but was actually born – in an actual place there in Bethlehem – into an actual family – a family with a history – a line of the house of David – in the line of the Kings of Judah – a line in exile for generations.
This Genealogy tells of the drama of the history of Israel - a drama that is not always smooth or good – God’s chosen people – from the patriarchs – from God’s call of Abraham- through the exodus – the time of Judges and the crowning of David – but of Kings – both good and bad – some kings faithful – others rejecting God – a kingdom falling from God – a kingdom being conquered – sent into exile. There is plenty of dysfunction, evil, and disaster.
What is this genealogy doing at the start of the gospel? – placing Christ into the history of Israel – at this point, out of exile but under the thumb of the Roman Empire – and what is Matthew's point? -Christ is not just another person in the genealogy – For he has come for the salvation of the world – for he is Emmanuel – “God is with us” – born of the virgin – for he is not just another figure of history in the line – but the son of God – the second person of the Trinity, God become man – the one through him the world was made – existing from before time began - entering into history for the salvation of the world – for the forgiveness of sins – entering at a particular time, in a particular place, with a particular family – into the genealogy.
All the dysfunction, sin, struggle seen through the figures in that genealogy –Christ has entered to fix it – to restore it – beginning as a small infant in Bethlehem. – God plans to fulfill all the prophecies of the Old Testament – all the promises made through the generations – fulfilled in Christ. – There is St Matthew’s point – there is why we begin with a list of names – for it is not just a list of names – the story of salvation history – which Christ enters.
Today, the reality of the Christmas story has gone away for many – we think of Christmas Carols that we have sung so many times that we no longer think of what happened – We think of cute Christmas plays put on by the young children – we think of family traditions and gatherings – but that is not the point – it is that, into the drama of salvation – history played out over the centuries, – God has become man – entered – born of the virgin – just over two thousand years ago – in a manger in Bethlehem – the Lamb of God given up for the salvation of the world -
This Christmas – can we take some time to remember Christmas – that it is the nativity of Christ – God, the author of history entering into history – and the very means of our salvation. A true mystery to behold, remember, and be thankful for – especially as we receive him at this Mass.