Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David
The picture of the above tree is that of a Banyon Tree. Its roots go deep and reach out in all directions. It not only has roots at its base like most trees and plants but also has roots that come down from its branches. The tree only grows in subtropical climates.
Jeremiah speaks of the shoot or root of David. Just like the tree our roots and ancestors go far and deep. Jesse was David’s father and if ever you want to see a grown man blubber, meaning me, play a German carol ” Lo how a Rose ere Blooming” and watch the tears flow. It will make me cry faster than “Silent Night”, although that is a close second.
Genealogy is one of my wife, Anna’s, hobbies. You have to love history and are rewarded with little pieces of Baptismal certificates of long lost relatives. The importance of roots and our ancestors is that we find out things about ourselves. It becomes clear why we settle in certain climates and attributes both good and bad that help explain us today. Their diseases, successes or failures help us understand ourselves. In Jesus Genealogy was King David who is known for his love of the Lord and justice.
Today is also my sister, Patti’s, birthday. There is a great deal going on around us today. Desire to be with family and knowing that it is not safe for you or them. Desiring to be with them and fearing we might kill them. However, even with a pandemic all around us we still have hope and that is the message of the Psalm and Gospel. It is the same message of hope that gave peace to our ancestors.
The Psalm for today is Ps 27. Justice shall flourish in his time and fullness of peace for ever. On everyone’s wish list is the prayer in this Psalm.
We all have need these words of hope as the calendar year comes to an end and looking to a more hopeful 2021. In the Gospel from Matthew it says, All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us. “
Jesus is our Emmanuel, our hope and He is with us. This is the message of today’s readings hope for us and generations to come. Just like David who could not see Jesus, the hope of that Kingship gave David hope.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
