Vigil of Christmas – (2005) Roman Martyrology – Fascinating entry

In the 2005 Roman Martyrology for Vigil of Christmas has a fascinating entry.  Here is the first entry of Christmas Eve day:

1. Commemoratio omnium sanctorum avorum Iesu Christi, filii David, filii Abraham, filii Adam, patrum scilicet, qui Deo placuerunt et iusti inventi sunt et iuxta fidem defuncti, nullis acceptis promissionibus, sed longe eas aspicientes et salutantes, ex quibus natus est Christus secundum carnem, qui est super omnia Deus benedictus in saecula.

The commemoration of all the holy forefathers of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham, the son of Adam, namely of the fathers, who pleased God and were both found to be righteous and also died in the faith, having received none of the promises fulfilled, but regarding them and greeting them from afar, from which the Christ was born according to the flesh, who is blessed God above all things forever.

Keep in mind that the Gospel reading for the Vigil Mass is the genealogy of the Lord from the Gospel of Matthew.

In that Gospel genealogy, Christ is shown to by the Lord of the history of our salvation.

And Matthew takes pains to teach us subtle things.

Take note of the four women he mentions.  He does not mention the great women we usually think of in the Old Testament, such as Sarah, Rebecca, Leah and Rachel.  Instead we get Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and the woman who had been “the wife of Uriah”

So, we see pagans in the genealogy who are women of less than perfect background in the eyes of the ancient Jews.

First, women were not typically included in ancient Jewish genealogies, so their presence signals intention. These women show that the Messiah’s lineage unfolds through unexpected persons and irregular circumstances, foreshadowing Mary’s own situation and underscoring God’s gracious initiative in surprising contexts. Each woman’s story carries social stigma or moral complexity, yet they still become part of salvation history.  Tamar was denied justice by Judah’s family, so she disguised herself as a prostitute to secure the promised lineage, risking shame and scandal.  Rahab was a Canaanite prostitute in Jericho, Rahab sheltered Israelite spies, betraying her city.  Moreover, Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth was a Moabite considered enemies of God.  Her bold nighttime approach to Boaz risked misunderstanding, yet her fidelity transformed a socially suspect union into a crucial link in the messianic line.  Bathsheba is overshadowed by David’s sins.  All four are linked to Gentile origins, including Bathsheba to Uriah the Hittite, prefiguring Matthew’s universal vision of the Gospel extending beyond Israel to the nations.

God choses those whom it pleases Him to choose.