Faithful Ruth

Once in the time of the judges there was a famine in the land; so a man from Bethlehem of Judah departed with his wife and two sons to reside on the plateau of Moab. Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons, who married Moabite women, one named Orpah, the other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Chilion died also, and the woman was left with neither her two sons nor her husband. She then made ready to go back from the plateau of Moab because word reached her there that the LORD had visited his people and given them food. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye, but Ruth stayed with her.

Naomi said, "See now! Your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her god. Go back after your sister-in-law!" But Ruth said, "Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you! For wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God."

Thus it was that Naomi returned with the Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth, who accompanied her back from the plateau of Moab. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. (Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22)

Ruth was the loyal and loving daughter-in-law.  What’s special about Ruth?  According to Matthew, here is the beginning of “the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king…” 

One never knows how each of came into being.  None of us can trace our ancestors back 500 years or 1,000 years or 2,000 years, and so on.  Consider that our existence today depended on the survival of innumerable generations before us.  It is a bit mind-blowing.  How far back do we go?  Certainly not to Adam and Eve, our two mythical “parents.”  

I can go back perhaps five generations with my ancestors on my mother’s side being born and living in England.  I have no clue about my father’s side.  Is Jesus’ ancestry real.  Likely not, but it is full of biblical meaning such as the first male ancestor being Abraham.  Luke went back to Adam.  Fascinating.

I’ve read: (begin) Matthew’s genealogy presents Jesus as the second David, a son of Abraham. Luke’s genealogy presents Jesus as the second Adam, a son of God. Luke offers us the genealogy linking Jesus to Adam and ultimately to God as a means of introducing Jesus’ wilderness temptation. It is Jesus, the descendent of Adam and the Son of God, who will overthrow the Devil. With the placement and nature of his genealogy, Luke intends for us to see Jesus’ wilderness temptation as a recapitulation of Adam’s garden temptation. (end) Once again, fascinating and fanciful.  Nevertheless, it’s significant for our Catholic belief, although not necessarily for our faith.

So, thank you Ruth for your unwillingness to leave and abandon your mother-in-law: "Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you! For wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God."

Deacon David Pierce