The Old Testament, in particular, contains several long and confusing lineages. Whether conducting a census of the nation of Israel, or establishing connections between figures, these long lists of difficult-to-pronounce names glaze over our eyes, but carry an important message.

Family genealogy tends to be the purview of one or two people in each family, but the difficult work of mapping out family connections is significant. It not only connects us with our past, but shows the long and winding road that brings us to where we stand. In the Bible, these genealogies are designed to establish authority. By showing that Abram comes from Noah’s ancient family, we can be confident in other details of his story. By tracing Jesus’ roots back to David, we see this kingly line finally fulfilled.

Reading these long lists of names, both known and unknown, may take a lot of time, but it’s not just about connecting Jesus and Abram to their forefathers. These genealogies are our genealogies; they’re how we are connected into the largest, most famous family in human history.

Though the work has not been done, it is possible, as with the apostolic succession of our bishops, to trace our family back to the earliest Christian communities. Making that connection is likely impossible, but were we able to do have historical records to complete the work, it would unlock a much deeper truth. With that connection established, we are truly plugged into God’s family, and our authority as priest, prophet, and king is very real.

The Bible is not just a collection of stories, and the Church is not just a written chapter in history. These are our stories and our history, how our family came to be, and how we can carry its mission forward.