Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Matthew 1:1–16, 18–23 |
Friends, today as we celebrate the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Church gives us the very beginning of St. Matthew’s Gospel. It is desperately important for Matthew to show that Jesus doesn’t just appear out of the blue. Rather, he comes out of a rich, densely textured history. St. Irenaeus tells us that the Incarnation had been taking place over a long period of time, God gradually accustoming himself to the human race. Look at this long line of characters: saints, sinners, cheats, murderers, poets, kings, insiders, and outsiders—all leading to the Christ. Of course, King David is mentioned. He is, without doubt, a great figure, the king who unites the nation, defeats its enemies, and establishes the first Israelite empire. But he is also, we know, an adulterer and a murderer, the one who abuses his power in order to eliminate Uriah the Hittite. And finally the climactic entry that notes the virgin whose birthday we celebrate today: “Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.” Bishop Robert Barron |
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