Fathers

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ancestry, father figure, fatherhood, fathers, fullness of life, Gospel, Jesus, Joseph, love, Scripture, Sisters of St. Joseph, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Over the past 48 hours I have had the opportunity to spend time with two women whose fathers died this past summer. Last night my own father appeared in a dream which I only remember for his passing presence and the appearance of his wedding ring – not on his hand but clearly his – a strong symbol in his life and the lives of our family.

Curiously two very different gospels appear in the lectionary today. The first is the beginning of Mark’s gospel that speaks of John the Baptist’s proclamation of Jesus and then the appearance of Jesus at his baptism – the beginning of his public life – where the voice of God was heard to say, You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased. The second choice for the gospel reading begins by noting that Jesus began his ministry at about thirty years of age and then goes on to relate his ancestry, not in the manner of the more familiar text from Matthew but backward from Joseph all the way to Adam, son of God. I must have been somewhat inattentive to my reading because I started to reach for some other text for inspiration when something inside said, “Read them again.”

Being a Sister of St. Joseph, I am usually eager to comment when Joseph shows up in gospel stories. Today, it took two readings to make the connection of the importance of the role of fathers in the lives of their sons – and daughters. I am one of the “lucky ones” to have had a father who shone with the love of God and showered that kind of love on others throughout his life. We don’t have too much evidence from the words of Scripture of the man Joseph was but it’s easy to extrapolate his character from the few scenes in which he appears. His care for his family, his trust in God and his willingness to participate in the plan of God regardless of the cost are easily seen without a single word from him.

Today, then, I am grateful for the nudge to reflect on fatherhood and the three great fathers who have mirrored Joseph to me in the lives and gratitude of their daughters. In addition, I pray that all children will somehow have a father figure in their lives who will teach them and love them in the way God loves all of us – into the fullness of life.

Where Were the Women?

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ancestry, Dorothy Day, genealogy, Hebrew Scriptures, Jesus, Mary, outcasts, Rahab, Ruth, Tamar, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, women

It’s always fascinating to read commentaries about historical figures, especially those from very long ago when fact or accurate reporting wasn’t always the most important part of the story. Legend is sometimes so much more inviting! I find this sometimes true especially in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Today’s gospel reading is the familiar text of the genealogy of Jesus from the first chapter of Matthew, almost universally dreaded by first-time lectors because of so many unfamiliar names. I always read it with interest, wishing I could trace my ancestry further back than I am able – even if not 14 or 42 generations as in Matthew’s recounting. I never skip any of the names (I may need to read them aloud at some point!) and always note the fact that there are only four women named: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Mary, the mother of Jesus. All “outsiders” in ways that affect the “family line” they also appear, upon research, to be strong, sometimes wily, women – worthy of attention and, yes, admiration. At the mercy of culture and patriarchy, it is a wonder they survived. One wonders at the reason for their inclusion in the list. I must conclude that it is because their lives were not at all ordinary, as well as the fact that they figured into the lives of some significant men. Something in me says that there must’ve been others who were notable – maybe just not carriers of the family line of Jesus.

Things are different now; women are more central to world events. But as I read and pondered the stories again this morning of these four, I am drawn to reflect on women of our own time, “outcasts” in some way, living on the margins of society, who have been or are now instrumental in shifting the consciousness of a culture or a nation – or maybe just the town or family in which they live. Perhaps I’ll start my own list today. The first name that comes to me is Dorothy Day. A good start indeed!

Generation after Generation

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ancestry, faith, family, genealogy, heritage, Jesus, Joseph, Mary, Matthew, religious, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Yesterday I was in a conversation about skin (sunburn vs. tanning propensity) and hair color – which easily morphed into talk of genetics and family ancestry. When I read this morning’s gospel (MT 1:1-23) I was amazed as usual at the excellent record-keeping of those who recorded the ancestry of Jesus from Abraham through all the generations down to “Joseph, husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.”

So many of us – myself included – can only trace our ancestry back two or three generations. Since the United States is so young and is a nation of immigrants, the search for “great, great…” ancestors is complicated. The best we can do is trace our heritage to a continent or a country. Having visited Ireland, I understand the strength of connection (at the cellular level?) to place and culture. The same can be said, it seems, about faith and religion, as places of pilgrimage hold special reverence for visitors.

Today I will spend time reflecting on my familial and religious heritage and be grateful for the good influences that have been passed down from those ancestors that I know and those who remain in God’s heart but who have influenced my being in this time and place.