Welcome back to the Jesse Tree on the Catholic Sprouts podcast.

Today is Friday of the second week of Advent.

Although God had brought his people into the promised land, during the time of the judges,

many Israelites left that area to escape war or famine.

A woman named Naomi, her husband and her sons, left Israel

during a famine and settled among the pagan worshipping Moabite people. Well, there, both of

Naomi's sons married Moabite women. However, shortly after they married both of her sons and then her husband

died. Alone and among foreigners, Naomi set out to return to Israel, but she would not go alone.

Her Moabite daughter-in-law, Ruth, insisted on returning with her.

Because of the generosity and love, Ruth demonstrated for her mother-in-law,

Ruth, a Moabite woman, became part of the family through which the Messiah entered the world.

Listen now to the story of Ruth, found in the book of Ruth. Ruth 1, 8 through 9, 14 through 19.

But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, go back each of you to your mother's house. May the Lord

deal kindly with you as you have dealt with the dead and with me.

The Lord grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband. Then she kissed

them, and they wept aloud. Orpa kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her. So she said,

See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods. Return after your sister-in-law.

But Ruth said,

Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you.

Where you go, I will go.

Where you lodge, I will lodge.

Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.

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