faith+ICS+BK


 * The Gospel for Wednesday, December 17 **

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">whose mother was Ruth. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Obed became the father of Jesse, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Jesse the father of David the king.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Matthew 1:1-17 **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">David became the father of Solomon, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Rehoboam the father of Abijah, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Abijah the father of Asaph. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Joram the father of Uzziah. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Uzziah became the father of Jotham, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Jotham the father of Ahaz, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Manasseh the father of Amos, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Amos the father of Josiah. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">at the time of the Babylonian exile.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">After the Babylonian exile, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Abiud became the father of Eliakim, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Eliakim the father of Azor, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Azor the father of Zadok. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Zadok became the father of Achim, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Achim the father of Eliud, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Eliud the father of Eleazar. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Eleazar became the father of Matthan, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Matthan the father of Jacob, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Thus the total number of generations <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">from Abraham to David <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">is fourteen generations; <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">from the Babylonian exile to the Christ, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">fourteen generations. Jesus's family tree is very large, it starts with Abraham. Abraham gave birth to two sons, Isaac, who started the Catholic faith, and Ishmael, who started the Muslim faith. Joseph, who was related to David, became the father of Jesus. This fulfilled some of the Old Testament prophecies. In total, Jesus' family tree was 14 generations long.
 * Summary-**

**Reflection** Matthew chose to start out his book like this because it shows that Jesus was related to Abraham and was also related to David, which fulfills the Old Testament prophecies. This is one of the many proofs that Jesus is the Messiah. Everyone in this family tree varies in personality, spirituality, and experience. Some people were heroes of faith, others were normal, and others were evil. This shows that God's work in human history is not limited by human failures or sins, and that he works through ordinary people. Just as God used all kinds of people to bring His Son into the world. He uses all kinds of people today to accomplish his will.

Matthew chose this passage to remind us that even though there are bad people in the world, they are still part of God's plan. So even when you meet a bad person, don't just think that they mean nothing to God, because that's not true. We all need to live out this passage to realize everyone means something to God. We also need to realize that a mean person could have been sent to you to raise you up, so that you can grow stronger. We can live out this passage by being nice to everyone even if they are mean to us. This shows us living out the passage because instead of being mean back, we are killing them with kindness. By doing this, we are living out this passage.

**<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,;">Prayer- ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Dear God, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Please help me be one of your disciples and help me be one of the good people in your plan for the world. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Please help me realize that everyone is part of god's plan. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Even if they are a not so good person, that they could just be there to make me stronger. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Please help me be nice to everyone. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Most of all help me fully believe in you. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Amen