When a young man falls in love and gets serious about a young woman, the time soon comes to bring her home to meet his family. Often this is a time of some anxiety. His worst fear might be: I'm afraid she'll leave me because she doesn't like my folks.

Jesus is the Groom (Mk 2:19) and we are the prospective bride. In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus introduces His family before we get serious about our relationship with Him. It's as if He is saying that we won't be able to love Him unless we also love His family.

Imagine Jesus bringing you home to introduce you to His family: "Come in! First, I'd like you to meet Jacob (Mt 1:2), a master deceiver (Gn 27:5ff). Next, I want you to meet Judah and Tamar (Mt 1:3). They aren't married, and conceived their son through prostitution (Gn 38:18). In this room, I'd like you to meet another prostitute, Rahab (Mt 1:5; Jos 2:1). Now here's a wonderful lady, Ruth (Mt 1:5). We had to go outside of the immediate family to find a worthy one like her (Ru 1:4). Over here is one of my favorites, David (Mt 1:6), a man after My Father's heart. Well, he did have a child through adultery with Bathsheba (2 Sm 11:4), and he did kill her husband and many others. Meet Solomon (Mt 1:7), the wise one of My family. He set a world record for lust, and his son Rehoboam (Mt 1:7) caused a civil war (1 Kgs 11:4; 12:2ff). Did you get to meet Manasseh? (Mt 1:10) He'd fit right in with today's 'culture of death' (2 Kgs 21:16)..."

Have you decided to walk out on Jesus yet? Or do you love Him enough to stay? To love Jesus, love those He loves (1 Jn 4:20-21). Then He will adopt you into His family (Mk 3:34-35).

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Ralph J. Lawrence, June 1, 1997

Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 9, 1997