dna testing has been popular since the technology has advanced. many people are curious as to their ancestry. how much more with jesus of nazareth during this time of advent! in matthew and luke’s gospels, we have geneologies for jesus. call it biblical dna.
i presided at the st. ed’s simbang gabi mass last night. i was so happy that the themes from this novena are taken from the jesse tree. last night we highlighted noah, abraham and joshua. noah and abraham are in the genealogies but not joshua.
but in the book of joshua, is the story of the battle of jericho. in this narrative, rahab is a key person in the drama. rahab is in jesus geneology.
rahab was a prostitute. but more importantly, she was a woman of great faith in the God of israel and indeed a prophetess.
were those who put together the jesse tree list of names embarrassed that rahab was a prostitute? was listing joshua in her stead a way of softening the blow of a woman from the oldest profession as part of jesus’ ancestry?
isn’t it wonderful that there are people that this world considers “bad” that the Spirit uses for God’s greater glory? are not humans and our real selves deeper than what others observe on the surface?
i’m glad that rahab is an important part of jesus’ family. her presence is consistent with jesus’ focus on public sinners in his ministry.
it has been my experience that those who we readily see as “saints” have their shadow sides; those we can see as “sinners” have good in them that we do not easily see. it is a good thing that God knows our hearts, secrets and everything about us– and still continues to love us!
unconditional indeed
Art and Sol Podcast ... Random Musings 
Oh so spot on 🙃 no one is without blemish and being a products of the 70’s in my teens I certainly had my shenanigans. My poor guardian angel, he’s was exhausted 🥱.
I was baptized Lutheran as a teeny babe and it seemed I was going to be ‘Lutheran for life’
Enter my future husband Steven, a cradle Catholic who had attended mass regularly when his dad was alive and went through all of the traditional Catholic education.
When he was twelve his dad passed suddenly at only 44 years old.
It changed his family’s life forever.
His funeral mass was at the church on Marina Street and overflowing.
He was a great man from all accounts. I never had the privilege of meeting him.
They went from a typical making ends meet family (he was an upholsterer) who insisted on his wife staying home to raise their six kids.
To a family led by his widow who had a sudden windfall of benefits from the government (he was a Korean War vet) and social security. In a blink they had more money than they ever could have dreamed but no dad.
This shaped many of the precious memories of my husbands standards and values and he continues to be frugal . I think it is his way if honoring his father’s memory .
So back to the topic.
He is three years my senior and was maybe a tad worse than I growing up in Prescott.
It’s still up for debate.
We don’t feel any further from Jesus when we pray our daily rosary together, we know our guardian angles saved us many times and now we pray for our grands who have sweet and good hearts .
We prayed for our children of course . That was in the thick of raising them and with work was challenging.. still we pray for them as adults with their own busy lives.
We have both had Saint and Sinner moments in our lives.
Life is a dance.
Since we have been praying the rosary together daily we have noticed so many wonderful results, we feel extremely blessed and most of all I am glad I made the decision to go to Rcia and become Catholic so we could be United as a couple.
I had no idea how much love it would bring to my life.
Here is to more Saint than sinner moments for us all!
Sorry, hope you didn’t fall asleep mid sentence …long post.
Christmas blessing surround you Fr. Art.
Becca
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what a lovely sharing becca, thanks for writing it
and it is a testament to your specific journey of unpacking love through marriage! i pray that your continued prayer– especially through the rosary– bring you a stronger faith and joy beyond words
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