Being a nation of immigrants, the attempt to trace our ancestors and draw up a family tree is a popular one. However, in some cases the family tree can be a source of embarrassment as less than noble members are uncovered—members we might prefer to exclude from our ancestry. And yet, as we listen to the ancestry of Jesus, we can take comfort from the fact that his family tree was not exactly illustrious either! Holy, noble, and virtuous men and women are listed alongside murderers, adulterers, and prostitutes. This should give us cause for hope and become a source of consolation because it means, firstly, that despite our weaknesses and many flaws we can still serve the Lord as instruments of his saving love and grace in the world. And, secondly, it also means that if we are willing to allow God to do so, he can and will use our sins and failures to bring about our own ultimate salvation—drawing from our sins the grace of humility and the openness to receive his merciful love. So let us open ourselves anew to this merciful love so that we too can experience for ourselves that all things can and do work for good with those who love God.