We are in the first week of the Advent season, in which we start with a very appropriate reading from the prophet Isaiah, telling us that “A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” The prophet Isaiah foretells the coming of the Messiah, which is why he is a prophet who hear from often in the Advent season. B. Isaiah’s words helped people know that the One who was promised to them by God would be born into the family of Jesse. In the stories of the Old Testament, we hear ofJesse of Bethlehem and his seven sons. Jesse’s youngest son, David, watched over the sheep for him. One day the prophet Samuel came to Jesse’s house and met David. Samuel anointed David. David would eventually become King of Israel. It was from Jesse that the family tree branched out to David and his descendants. Jesse and David were ancestors of Jesus. At the time of Jesus’ birth, all those who belonged to the family of David had to return to the town of Bethlehem because a census was being taken. Since Joseph and Mary were of the House of David, they had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem to register, where Jesus would be born.
You might have heard of the Jesse tree. The Jesse Tree is a special tree used during the season of Advent, as it represents the family tree of Jesus. It serves as a reminder of the human family of Jesus. God gave his only Son as a perfect Gift to an imperfect humanity. The people who were the human ancestors of Christ, with the exception of Mary, were a sinful people, with faults, weaknesses, and shortcomings. They were promised a Savior. Generations of people waited for the coming of a Messiah. The ornaments of the Jesse tree are symbols that represent the ancestors of Jesus or a prophecy fulfilled at his coming, which traditionally include Adam and Eve and God’s creation. Today, as we are in the first days of our Advent journey, we remember the foundations of our faith. We remember Jesus, his human connections, and those who foretold him coming.
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