In the Gospel passage, the lengthy genealogy lists four women all of whom are foreigners with somewhat shady characters. Tamar dressed as a temple or sacred prostitute to win Judah's favour and become the mother of his child! Rahab was indeed a prostitute who rescued Joshua's spies and helped him win victory over the Canaanites and safety for her own household! Ruth entered sacred history as a pagan who married into the chosen people, and Bathsheba's beauty tempted David to commit murder and marry her and become the father of Solomon. And all of these events lead to the marriage of the pregnant virgin, Mary, to Joseph! Of her is born Jesus who is called the Christ, who will indeed take away the sins of the world!

God's ways, Gods actions, God's preferences are so unlike our own. God always chooses the weak to confound the strong. God lifts up the lowly and humbles the proud. God's love welcomes and includes and embraces foreigners, strangers, "enemies." God surprises us at every turn of our lives.

In grateful awe and wondering gaze, let us admire, praise, and welcome God's startling ways and ask to be freed of all those pre-conceptions, prejudices, presuppositions, and perceptions that keep us from recognizing the presence of grace and the providence of God in all the events of our lives. We can truly marvel at God and echo with Mary: