The Lion and the Lineage

Voice over by Carol San San Lwin

Gen 49:1-2.8-10; Psalm: 71; Mt 1:1-17

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, as we draw ever nearer to the celebration of Christmas, the Church directs our gaze backward through the corridors of time. Today, she gives us not just a story, but a sacred genealogy; not just a prophecy, but the key to reading all of human history. We are invited to see the patient, faithful hand of God weaving a royal line through the tapestry of generations, a line that culminates in the birth of a baby in Bethlehem.

The dying patriarch Jacob gathers his sons and speaks a word over Judah that echoes through the centuries: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah… until he comes to whom it belongs.” This is the promise of a king, a ruler from the tribe of Judah whose authority is ultimate and everlasting. He is described as a lion—a symbol of majestic strength and royal power. For generations, Israel held onto this promise, looking for the Lion of Judah who would restore the kingdom.

This ancient promise finds its breathtaking fulfillment in the Gospel of Matthew, which opens with what can seem like a dry list of names: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” But this is no mere list. It is a theological masterpiece, a divine proof. Matthew presents Jesus as the true heir of both Abraham (the father of God’s people) and David (the prototype of the messianic king). He is the one to whom the scepter truly belongs. The genealogy is filled with unexpected people—sinners, foreigners, and women—revealing that God’s plan is not derailed by human weakness, but works precisely through it.

Jesus Christ is the long-awaited Lion of Judah. He is the fulfillment of the covenant promises made to Abraham and David. His kingship, however, is not of the worldly power Jacob might have imagined. As Pope Benedict XVI beautifully expressed, “His throne is the Cross… His reign is divine, and it is eternal.” The Lion’s victory is won not by roaring, but by the silent, sacrificial love of the Lamb.

The comfort for us is profound. The God we worship is a God of history and of covenant. He is faithful to His promises. He does not abandon His people, but works through the messy, complicated, and often sinful lines of human families to bring about our salvation. This means our own lives, with their own twists and turns, are also held within His providence.

The challenge is to trust in this faithful God, especially when His plan is hidden from our sight. We are called to see ourselves as part of this great story of redemption, to take our place in the lineage of faith that stretches from Abraham to the present day.

As we contemplate this genealogy, let us be filled with wonder. The Lion of Judah, the root of Jesse, the son of David and son of Abraham, is also the son of Mary. He has entered our human story to make us part of His divine story. Let us prepare our hearts to welcome Him with the awe He deserves. Amen.