Humbly submit your will to God (thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.
 

 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,
whose mother was Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse,
Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asaph.
Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amos,
Amos the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers
at the time of the Babylonian exile.

After the Babylonian exile,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.
Abiud became the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok.
Zadok became the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar became the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Thus the total number of generations
from Abraham to David
is fourteen generations;
from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations;
from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,
fourteen generations.
 

 One of the neatest projects I do in the middle school is interviewing great-grandparents, grandparents, or parents.  It is amazing how much change happens between each generation.  Pope Francis has spoken on the importance of not forgetting the elderly.  They have so much wisdom.  Middle school students can sometimes struggle with identity or self-image (as well as adults).  Knowing where we come from and what family members went through can give us a new sense of belonging and a solid foundation. Especially, how our faith has been passed down to us.  Today, we see that Jesus was born into a human family like us.  This also shaped his identity.  He grew up learning the trade of carpentry.  Advent is a great time to do the Jesse Tree to celebrate the ancestry of Jesus.
 

 Today’s challenge: Start a tradition of the Jesse Tree and Advent Wreath with your family.  Interview your great-grandparents, grandparents or parents about your family.  Thank God for the faith that has been passed down to you.  Live with a purpose and be proud of the identity you have inherited.
 
We are saints in training!  Become a saint!
 
Christian YOLO