Do we acknowledge where the gift of our faith comes from? Today would normally be the Feast of the Nativity of Mary, so Fr. Joe Simmons, SJ, decided to explore the importance of remembering those who passed on the faith in this week’s One-Minute Homily.
What are the names of your grandparents? How about your great-grandparents? How about your great-great-grandparents?
Hi, I’m Father Joe Simmons, and this is my One-Minute Homily.
A number of years ago I lived with a Jesuit who suffered declining health and loss of vision. Before he totally lost his vision, though, he wanted to memorize all of the gospels, so that he could recite them from memory, every time he preached.
Eventually, we came to today’s Gospel, on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Gospel recounts the many generations that led from Abraham to King David to the Babylonian Captivity, ultimately to Jesus Christ.
I thought, “surely, Fr. Pat wouldn’t be able to memorize fourteen generations, and fourteen generations, and fourteen generations!” But memorize them he did, because it was important for him to remember where Jesus came from.
It was important for the early Christians to know where they came from. And it’s important for us too to remember the gift of our own faith. One this birthday of Mary, perhaps we can give thanks to God for all of our ancestors who passed on the faith from generation to generation.
