What would you like to know about St. Joan of Arc? Do you have a story about our parish or of general interest that you think others would like to hear? For story ideas, contact Jeff Rholl, jeff@stjoan.com.

The Jesse Tree Story

“…and Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon…Asa of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat of Joram…Josiah was the father of Jeconiah… Eliakim of Azor, Azor of Zadok…Matthan of Jacob, Jacob of Joseph, the husband of Mary, who gave birth to Jesus called Messiah.” (Matthew 1, v 6-16) (The New English Bible, Cambridge University Press, NY, 2nd Ed., 1970)

So the human family is a tree and one branch of that tree leads from Jesse, through King David, to Jesus.

Kathy Itzin explains: “The Jesse Tree is an ancient Catholic symbol of the descent of Jesus. Traditionally, in Catholic schools, at various times of the year, the children would hang the names of all the ancestors of Jesus on the tree. Since Jesse is one of the first, it is called The Jesse Tree.” >

“In the same way, a good tree always yields good fruit, and a poor tree bad fruit.” (Matthew 7, v 17) (ibid)

The Idea

Kathy: “It was liturgist Anna Vagle’s idea, and it started before I came here 15 years ago. We made The Jesse Tree into a gift tree. Rather than the ancestors of Jesus, we put on the tree tags indicating people who needed help and what they needed. Anna thought of The Jesse Tree as a way of giving gifts to children. It became part of the Family Mass…”

“The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said to them, ‘Let the children come to me;…for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.’” (Matthew 19, v 14) (ibid)

After Mass, “the children of our parishioners would select a tag from the tree, a gift would be purchased and put under the tree.” The idea stuck.

It is not too much of a stretch to imagine that the transformation of The Jesse Tree into a gift tree came about from the linking of giving to giving. The line of Jesse gave mankind the Greatest Gift, while, in the new interpretation, parishioners give items of value to those in need. A small imitation of the Divine Gift? A powerful reminder of that Gift?

Though the Jesse Tree started with children in mind, these things have a way of growing: Explains Kathy, “Regina, a home for the elderly, asked to be included on the tree. We said certainly. – We wouldn’t want to say no to them – they were our neighbors.” (One tries to imagine the promoters of The Jesse Tree saying no to anyone in need.)

The People Helped

Kathy: “We work with the homeless and with children in need. Every year, I call them, certain that they will need our help. We were happy to help Regina. But then they went out of business, so we thought, ‘Well, we can help somebody else.’ It
Kathy Itzin is SJA's Religious Education Director
happened that our youth group was working with People Serving People, a shelter for homeless families. So we contacted them. They said they needed our help and have been grateful for it.”

“And he will answer, ‘I tell you this: anything you did not do for one of these, however humble, you did not do for me.’” (Matthew 25, v 45) (ibid)

Kathy: “People Serving People asked that The Tree be focused for them on the teenagers. We said, ‘Absolutely,’ and that’s been a tremendous help to them.”

At the same time, Golden Eagle, a Native American program for youth at the American Indian Center on Franklin Ave contacted St Joan’s for help. (So the reaching out extends both ways – sometimes Jesse Tree contacts them, other times they contact St Joan’s.) A small number of children, they were readily taken on for the Tree. “The children at Golden Eagle,” Kathy explains, “are across the board in ages – including teens, who, so often, are left behind in giving programs.”

“Jesus called to his disciples and said to them, ‘I feel sorry for all these people; they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat…’” (Matthew 15, v 32) (ibid)

“For the last 10 years,” Kathy says, “we have helped St Anthony’s Development Learning Center in north Minneapolis. This is for at risk pre-schoolers and infants. Currently, these (People Serving People, Golden Eagle, St Anthony’s) are the three main groups, and though the people we help changes from time to time, we have never had problems finding people for the Tree. And we have always exceeded the number of gifts requested – always way more. The organizations are always impressed by our giving and grateful for our generosity.”

“ When he came ashore, he saw a great crowd; his heart went out to them…He answered, ‘There is no need for them to go; give them something to eat yourselves.’ ‘All we have here’, they said, ‘is five loaves and two fishes.’ ‘Let me have them,’ he replied.” (Matthew 14, v 14, 16-17) (ibid)

So the ones giving are receiving, too, and the ones receiving are giving. Material on one side, but spiritual on both. Perhaps the amount of giving is almost the same.

How It Works

  1. The organizations make the tags – “An 11-year-old, Native American girl,” “A five-year-old boy.”
  2. Kathy advertises the Tree at the Family Mass and in the bulletin (so everyone can get involved).
  3. Kathy receives the tags before Thanksgiving and puts them on the Tree.
  4. The parishioners (often parents leading children to the Tree) take the tags from the Tree during the Sundays of Advent at the Family Mass.
  5. The appropriate gifts are purchased and left, unwrapped for easy identification as to recipient, under the Tree.
“We collect for the four Sundays of Advent,” Kathy says, “or until the date at which the organizations hold their Christmas parties… Every year there are gifts that come in after the parties… We distribute them to the organizations… Someone on a tag may be missed – the tag is not taken – but others bring multiple gifts. Everyone is covered. Everyone.” (One wishes one could express a tone of voice.)

“That is the greatest commandment… The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22, v 39) (ibid)

The Payoff

The children come up to take a tag from The Jesse Tree. “It gets the children involved,” Kathy says. “I have taken my own kids out shopping, and we get a gift for a child like them. So they develop an awareness of need and of the
Pat O'Regan is a technical and business writer. He has been attending Mass at St Joan's for the past year and a half, finding a renewed and burgeoning commitment to his faith in the loving company of the St Joan's congregation. Pat hails from a small Minnesota farming community -- Montgomery -- and is a graduate of St Thomas University and the University of Minnesota. Pat can be reached at Patxtra@aol.com.
value of giving… De La Salle High School, I learned – because I have a child of that age – does something like The Jesse Tree to expand the students’ awareness. But our kids have been doing that at St Joan’s since they were small… Parents want to involve their children in justice and charity…”

Charity – It does get down to love. Because giving is a reflection of our love for each other, which, in turn, is a reflection of Jesus’ love for us.

“…Then the world will learn that thou didst send me, that thou didst love them as thou didst me. Father, I desire that these men, who are thy gift to me, may be with me where I am…I made my name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love thou hadst for me may be in them, and I may be in them.” (John 17, v 23-24, 26) (ibid)

Other Features