A different generation

Today’s Gospel (Matthew 1:1-17) presents us with a genealogy of Christ: a different and very personal way of recounting the history of God’s people that led up to the coming of the Messiah.

Matthew notes a rhythm of 14 generations in this history – from Abraham to David, from David to the Babylonian Captivity and from the Babylonian Captivity to Christ – but some have counted only thirteen generations in the list leading up to Christ.

Various explanations are given for this, but above all it is important to remember that although our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is part of this history and is a man like us in all things but sin, He is also Son of God: begotten from eternity.

This may or may not account for the apparent discrepancy in the count of generations, but the reality of Jesus Christ – one Person, two natures, true God, true man – is a matter of life and death for us all.

Because of Christ, we too can rise above our own histories and backgrounds and can live as children of God.