My Fourth Sunday of Advent Daily Blessings, December 22, 2013

My Fourth Sunday of Advent Daily Blessings

Be still, quiet your heart and mind, the Lord is here, loving you, talking to you.....................................................................................

Fourth Sunday of Advent (Roman Rite Calendar)

 

First Reading: Is 7:10-14

The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:
Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;  let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as the sky!
But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!” Then Isaiah said: Listen, O house of David!
Is it not enough for you to weary people,  must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: 
the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,  and shall name him Emmanuel.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

 

"Let the Lord enter; he is King of glory."

Second Reading: Rom 1:1-7

Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh,  but established as Son of God in power  according to the Spirit of holiness  through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we have received the grace of apostleship,  to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles, among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ; to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel: Mt 1:18-24

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,  but before they lived together,  she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame,  decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,  “Joseph, son of David,  do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit  that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,  because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,  which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him  and took his wife into his home.

Meditation:

Do you believe that God will fulfill every promise he has made to us? The prophet Isaiah spoke words of hope in a hopeless situation for Israel. The Davidic dynasty was corrupt and unfit for a Messianic King. Apostates like King Ahaz (2 Kings 16) and weaklings like Zedekiah (Jeremiah 38) occupied the throne of David. When God offered King Ahaz a sign, the king refused. God, nonetheless, gave Israel a sign to assure his people that he would indeed raise up a righteous King who would rule forever over the house of David. We see the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy and the unfolding of God's plan of redemption in  the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah. The new era of salvation begins with the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit.  This child to be born is the fulfillment of all God’s promises.

Mary had to face an enormous challenge to her faith and trust in God and to the faith of her family and Joseph, the man she chose to marry.  She was asked to assume a burden of tremendous responsibility. It had never been heard of before that a child could be born without a natural father. Mary was asked to accept this miraculous exception to the laws of nature. That required faith and trust in God and in his promises. Second, Mary was not yet married. Pregnancy outside of wedlock was not tolerated in those days. Mary was only espoused to Joseph, and such an engagement had to last for a whole year. She was asked to assume a great risk. She could have been rejected by Joseph, by her family, by all her own people. Mary knew that Joseph and her family would not understand without revelation from God. She nonetheless believed and trusted in God's promises.

Joseph, a just and God-fearing man, did not wish to embarrass or punish his espoused wife, Mary when he discovered that she was pregnant.  To all appearances she had broken their solemn pledge to be faithful and chaste to one another. Joseph, no doubt took this troubling matter to God in prayer.  He was not hasty to judge or to react with hurt and anger.  God rewarded him not only with guidance and consolation, but with the divine assurance that he had indeed called Joseph to be the husband of Mary and to assume a mission that would require the utmost faith, confidence, and trust in Almighty God.  Joseph believed in the divine message to take Mary as his wife and to accept the child in her womb as the promised Messiah. Like Mary, Joseph is a model of faith for us. He is a faithful witness and servant of God's unfolding plan of redemption. Are you ready to believe in the promises of God, even when faced with perplexing circumstances and what seems like insurmountable problems?  God has not left us alone, but has brought us his only begotten Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Let us celebrate Christmas, the feast of the Incarnation, with joyful hearts and let us renew our faith and hope in God and in his redeeming work.

Prayer: 

"Lord Jesus, you came to save us from sin and the power of death. May I always rejoice in your salvation and trust in your plan for my life". Amen.

Source:

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owners.

**Don Schwager

Author and Writer

Member of the Servants of the Word

 

"LORD JESUS, I place all my trust and hope in you. Come and stay with me and take possession of my heart and soul that I may fully desire what is pleasing to you. Fill my heart with love, your grace and mercy for others that I may witness to the truth and joy of the gospel through word and example, both to those who accept it and  to those who oppose it." 

-tpana