Message from the Chaplain 9 9 2020
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September 9, 2020
Just yesterday, we celebrated the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. For the Gospel reading at Mass on this day, the church gives us the genealogy of Jesus from Matthew’s Gospel. As I read that long list of names during Mass, I reflected upon those people who were the ancestors of Jesus. Among the line of people from which Jesus descended were some of the greatest men and women in the history of Israel. Also among that line of people were some of the most broken and sinful people in the history of Israel. Jesus did not come and take on our human nature in a long line of virtuous people. Certainly Mary and Joseph were saints, but many of Jesus’ ancestors were very broken people, with sinful attitudes, actions, and tendencies. Jesus came to enter this brokenness so that he could redeem it. Let us never be tempted to judge ourselves or anyone else to be too broken to hear and answer God’s call. Our brokenness is God’s strength, for “his power is made perfect in weakness.”
