December 19: O Radix Jesse, O Flower of Jesse's Stem

O Flower of Jesse's stem,

you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples;

kings stand silent in your presence;

the nations bow down in worship before you.

Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.

Jesse was the father of King David, by whom Jesus is connected (through Joseph) in the genealogy offered by Matthew at the very beginning of his Gospel. Here in the South, an important question upon meeting a stranger had traditionally been 'who are your people'?  Looking back at Jesus' family tree, we find good and bad kings, men and women of strong or weak faith, and others whose story is unknown beyond their names.

 

In Jesus' time, you really were defined by your family and its place in society. Remember when people thought Jesus was getting 'above his raising' (Matthew 13: 54-58) they said, 'isn't he the carpenter's son?' He couldn't be effective in his hometown, because people had their narrow definition of what he should be about. Have you ever felt pressured to choose a major or a job or make some other major decision just to live up to family expectations? Did that energize you or make you feel powerless, or something in between?

 

What expectations do you have for your children, reasonable or otherwise?

 

The antiphon today speaks of our longing for life in all its fullness, for the power of our heritage of faith from countless generations of our ancestors... whether related by blood or the waters of baptism. The life promised by God in Jesus is eternal and effective, empowering us to proudly carry on our true family name, "Christian".

 

• As you talk with your child today, you might use the example of the winter bulbs (paperwhites, amaryllis, etc) that almost magically provide color in the midst of the grayness of winter.... from an ordinary looking bulb comes great beauty, with the help of water and God's creative power! Jesus' birth is kind of like that, in a way: something beautiful and extraordinary came, through God's power, from regular people.
• What stories of your ancestors could you tell your child today? What can you tell them of their grandparents that will make them proud and happy to be related? Do you know relatives who immigrated to America, or made it through the Great Depression, or otherwise persevered under difficult circumstances, whose strength, patience or other virtue could be a good example?
• And what good qualities do you see in your child? Tell them a good story about themselves!
• And- you've got the time, ask them if they have a story about when you did something they really appreciated. "Accentuate the positive" goes the old song- we long for that, and there's deep and authentic power in such a simple action.
• Don't forget to pray today's Antiphon with your child- in the words here, or by making up your own!