THE JESSE TREE PROJECT
A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse,
and from his roots a bud shall blossom. –Isaiah 11:1
During the season of Advent, the Church anticipates the coming of Jesus, both the second
coming at the fullness of time and Jesus’ birth at Bethlehem. The Jesse Tree is a symbolic
depiction of the genealogy, or family tree, of Jesus. The Gospels according to both Luke
and Matthew proclaim the lineage of Jesus. Without an understanding of their purpose,
these passages can be tedious to hear and study (Abraham begat Isaac, Isaac begat Jacob,
Jacob begat Judah…), but they are important in setting the stage for Jesus as the Messiah.
It is understood that the Messiah will be a priest, a prophet, and a king, so tracing Jesus’
family line to royalty, prophets, and priesthood is integral to the fulfillment of
expectation. Jesse, for whom the tree is named, is a pivotal ancestor in the genealogy of
Jesus, and is referred to by the prophet Isaiah. Depicted in church windows and artwork
since the Medieval Era, the Jesse Tree may even have been a forerunner of today’s
Christmas tree.
This year at The Brook, we will include the Jesse Tree in our Advent environment. The
Liturgical Environment Team has erected a Jesse Tree in the back of the Worship Area.
The tree will be decorated with symbols to represent various ancestors of Jesus. These
symbols will be highlighted in the weekly bulletin over the course of the four weeks of
Advent.
Through our baptism, we are all grafted into the family of God. Since we are all members
of Jesus’ family as the daughters and sons of the same Father, the OLB Liturgy
Committee with the Liturgical Environment Team invite you to write your last/family
name on a leaf to be attached to the Jesse Tree as a sign of our relationship to Jesus and
to each other. Leaves and markers can be found in baskets in the social area.
FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
For this Advent season, the Liturgical Environment Team has erected a Jesse Tree in the
back of the Worship Area. The tree will be decorated with symbols to represent various
ancestors of Jesus. This week, eight symbols have been added to the tree. See the table
below to find out who these symbols represent, and for scripture references for each
character.
Symbol
apple
rainbow
tent
ram
well
ladder
veil
coat of many
colors
Character
Adam and Eve
Noah
Abraham and Sarah
Isaac
Rebecca
Jacob
Rachel and Leah
Joseph
Scripture Reference
Genesis 3:1-24
Genesis 8:21-9:17
Genesis 12:1-7, 15:1-6
Genesis 22:1-19
Genesis 28:19-34
Genesis 28:10-22
Genesis 29:15-30
Genesis 37:1-45:28
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
The symbols on the Jesse Tree each represent a biblical ancestor of Jesus. The Old
Testament reference that is paired with each symbol is a short summary of the person,
including his or her role as a witness to God's self-revelation. Some of these
stories foreshadow the birth of Jesus; others show God's love, patience, and grace across
the centuries to even the most unlikely people.
Symbol
10 commandments
rope
trumpet
palm tree
torch
pillars
anchor
Character
Moses
Rahab
Joshua
Deborah
Gideon
Samson
Ruth
Scripture Reference
Exodus 20:1-21
Joshua 2:1-21
Joshua 6:1-20
Judges 4:1-16
Judges 7:1-8, 15-20
Judges 13:1-5 15:14-17
Ruth 1-4
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Jesse was King David’s father. The image of a branch growing out of the roots of Jesse
points to a new king in David’s line. Christians know that this is fulfilled in Jesus, the
King of Kings, who is a descendent of Jesse. We decorate the Jesse Tree with symbols
that represent these and other important people from the Old Testament. The Jesse Tree
reminds us that our beliefs have deep roots, going back thousands of years to our
ancestors in faith.
Symbol
small robe
oil
star
crown
chariot
whale
lion and lamb
Character
Hannah
Samuel
David
Solomon
Elijah
Jonah
Isaiah
Scripture Reference
1 Samuel 1:1-28; 2:18-20
1 Samuel 3:1-19; 16:1-13
1 Samuel 16:1-16
1 Kings 3:4-15
1 Kings 19:3-13
Jonah 1:1-17; 2:10; 3:1-3
Isaiah 9:1-6; 11:1-9
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT
The Jesse Tree, while traditionally a children’s activity, is not just for kids. Its symbols
tell the story of salvation, from creation through the birth of Jesus. We, at Our Lady of
the Brook have chosen to show that salvation continues to the here and now, in our own
families and in our faith community.
Symbol
lion
sun
angel
shell and water
hammer
lily
Character
Daniel
Malachi
Elizabeth
John the Baptist
Joseph
Mary
Scripture Reference
1 Samuel 1:1-28; 2:18-20
1 Samuel 3:1-19; 16:1-13
1 Samuel 16:1-16
1 Kings 3:4-15
1 Kings 19:3-13
Jonah 1:1-17; 2:10; 3:1-3