OPreach
Dominican Preaching through Word and Image
God Didn’t Chose Just “Good” People; God Chose You and Me
The Advent Gospel Reading on December 17th is always Matthew 1:1-17 – the Genealogy of Jesus. And what a motley crew! Murders, thieves, liars, harlots . . . Looks a little like us, I’d say. And these are the people – and we are the people – that God loves. I invite you to read the stories in the Hebrew Scriptures that tell about these ancestors’ lives. If they were are ancestors (and they are most definitely our spiritual ancestors), we would find things about their lives that would make us proud, and things that would shame us.
Isn’t it comforting that God hasn’t chosen just the “good” people? If God had only chosen “good” people, then I would be out in the cold!
I came across a quote in an Advent reflection booklet from 1991 – no author listed – in a booklet called Advent Journey.
Just because God is for us and with us.
God is not against others.
If God has made a “covenant” with God’s people,
it is not to erect walls
which separate and oppose
believers and non-believers,the good and the evil,
the just and the guilty.God’s salvation has no limits;
it is offered to all who are open to
God’s love.
To be open to others and
to witness to
God’s greatness
is to be ready to listen to God’s Word:
“I will make all things new.”
Yes, Advent is the Season of Hope!
OPreach 
What has fascinated me with the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew are the five women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, wife of Uriah (Bathsheba), and Mary. All woman who undermine the traditional patriarchal marriage pattern and show how God is able to work outside of our normal expectations. Their faith demonstrates that the impossible is possible with God.
Indeed! And I loved the stories of all these women. Quite possibly God is always working outside our normal expectations – our wonderful God of Surprises! Blessed Advent to you!!
Yes I have always felt the inclusiveness that this genealogy creates – it gives us a sense of our worth and as you put it ‘God Didn’t Chose Just “Good” People’ but people like us!!
forgot to say I enjoyed this post!! Nice simple reminder!
Thank you!! 🙂