Whether you are looking for more ways teach your child the true meaning of Advent and Christmas, or a meaningful activity to fill a snow day, learn how to create a Jesse tree in the December 2016 issue of FAITH magazine.
Based on Isaiah 11:1, “A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom,” -- the Jesse tree is a “family tree” of sorts that uses symbols to inventory Jesus’ ancestors who provide the lineage that is necessary for his messianic fulfillment.It's a great way for young and old to consider the historical and spiritual events leading up to Christ's birth.
We can see how the biblical narrative, through the trials and wanderings of the Jewish people, makes way for Christ’s arrival. But taken individually as unique and separate stories, each symbolized upon the Jesse tree, we are reminded of how God has worked in the world in mysterious and beautiful ways to guide and protect his Church, as he still does today.
Read more about the tradition here.