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The Jesse Tree

Read about the Jesse Tree, featured this year during Advent.

The Jesse Tree is a tradition from Europe. The tree is also considered an Advent Tree, in the anticipation of the coming of Christmas. The tree is decorated with various symbols that remind us of the purpose and promises of God from Creation to the Birth of Christ.

The Jesse Tree is named from Isaiah 11:11: "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees, with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth."

The ornaments are made by students at Holy Family School and are presented and placed on the tree each week after Communion at the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass.

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT:

Kindergarten - Bells - Symbolize church bells calling people to worship. They represent the proclamation of the Gospel to the world.

7-1 - Ten Commandments - Represent the continuity of the Old and New Testaments as well as Jesus' fulfillment of the Law.

7-2 - Rainbows - Recall the story of Noah and the flood as well as Jesus' calming the storm and saving the disciples.

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT:

8th Grade - Doves - A symbol of the Holy Spirit, recalling the Holy Spirit's descent on Jesus as a dove at his Baptism.

1-1 - FLeur-de-lis - A stylized lily, representing purity and so symbolizes the Virgin Mary. Beacuase of its three points can also represent the Trinity and the resurrection.

1-2 - Stars - The Star of David (Creator's Star), with its six points representing the six aspects of God: love, mercy, wisdom, majesty, power, and justice. In this form, the two triangles represent the Trinity.

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