Fourth Sunday in Advent
Intro: Today's readings remind us that the long-awaited Messiah, Emmanuel, God-with-us, is almost here. At last, God is about to come into His world. As we finalise our own preparations for that coming, let us pray that we too may remain or become! - more aware of Christ's loving presence in our lives and our world.
Readings: Ahaz, King of Judah, is worried about the safety of his kingdom, and calls on neighbouring Syria for protection. Isaiah assures him that the sign of God's love will be the birth of a virgin's child, who will save not only Judah, but the entire world.
Paul opens his letter to the Romans by introducing himself and his theme - Jesus, risen from the dead, is both fully divine and fully human; both Son of God and Son of Mary.
Isaiah 10: 7 -14;
Romans 1: 1 - 7;
Matthew 1: 18 - 25;
Today's Gospel brings us back to a rather harsh reality. Joseph faces a moral dilemma: Mary is expecting, and Joseph is well aware that the child certainly isn't his. What to do? While he is a man of deep faith, struggling to make sense of the message which Mary had given him, he doesn't want to expose his fiancee to the full wrath of the Law, which meant death by stoning; but neither does he feel able to continue with their engagement and marriage.
He probably wondered why God was testing his faith. The easiest thing would be to abandon Mary and start again. But an angel tells him in a dream to take Mary
home as his wife, and when he wakes up, he does exactly as the angel had commanded. He trusts in God so much that all other considerations are put aside.
We hardly ever hear about Joseph again, but his character and his faith come across very strongly here. He has the moral courage to seek to do the right thing, even when it's not necessarily what's laid down in the Law; but he is compassionate since he doesn't condemn outright and he finds the right answer by listening to what God wants.
We often face difficulties in our relationships or our families - a daughter has become pregnant .. a child is stillborn, born with a serious disability or dies very young .. a parent develops dementia. Such events can disturb or disrupt our familiar patterns of life. We question our faith, and are tempted to ask God, why me?
Joseph's example teaches us to pray even more fervently and seek the power of the Holy Spirit to help us trust more deeply in God. It wasn't easy for Joseph, and it won't be for us either. But if we keep our hearts open to God, He will help us shoulder our burden and carry our load: "My yoke is easy, and My burden light." Except that, occasionally, it isn't! Remember Mary's stations of the cross: "she knew this had to be, and so she walked on, silently."
For centuries, God's Chosen People had looked for that mysterious sign in Isaiah's prophecy that God would be with them. Now the phrase "God-is-with-us" finally begins to make sense. And this truth that God has become one of us forms the opening part of Paul's statement to the Romans - the Son of God has taken
on a human body, has become one of David's race. So what does that apparently so-simple statement mean? Like us, Jesus had parents who loved Him very much, parents who nurtured and cared for Him, so that He could grow up in a safe environment, surrounded by love, in the little village of Nazareth where He
would go to school and finally learn a carpenter's trade. As St. Paul remarks, this is indeed a new kind of God - One Who wants to be exactly the same as we are - literally "God-with-us."
By coming into our world, Jesus helps us to make some sense of our broken world: when we suffer, we can look at the sufferings of Jesus our brother; when we're anxious or confused, we can seek His consolation and peace; when we're overcome by shame or guilt, He can share that burden and offer forgiveness. And even when we finally come face to face with death, He assures us of a share in everlasting life with Him.
When we look at the Child in the manger, what do we see? What message, what sign, is God sending me? In His face, we see the total innocence of a Child, someone with a total inability to hurt others. This is the sign given to us - Mary's Child. And in that Child, we see not only the loveliness of God, but the beauty
deep inside each and every one of us. Advent is our time to prepare, not only materially, but spiritually, for the coming of the Lord; it's an opportunity to take time out of our busy lives, our tasks, our schedules and appointments, and simply recognise God's presence in the whole of humanity. So this Christmas, let's make
sure that we too are signs of God's love and forgiveness, bearers of love, consolation and peace, looking to see in others the beauty which God has created in them.
Intercessions
Jesus is the visible sign of God's love for us and our world. Let's bring our hopes and fears, the joys and anxieties of our world before Him:-
1. For the Church. May It remain strong and faithful in bringing the authentic message of Your love and forgiveness to all, especially to those who are poor in body, mind or spirit - Lord, hear us.
2. For peace in our world. May governments be open and receptive to Your message of peace and good will, while respecting the dignity and rights of other countries and peoples, so that we may all learn to forgive and live in harmony with those of differing faiths and cultures - Lord, hear us.
3. For our children and our young people. May they continue to receive the love and affection, the care and attention from those to whom their lives have been entrusted - Lord, hear us.
4. For families separated by distance, or divided by bitterness or tragedy. May Your love, made visible in Your Son, bring them together in consolation and peace - Lord, hear us.
5. We pray for those who are mourning the loss of someone special at this time of year; for those who have died recently: Mary Bell, Hugh Aitchidson, Sadie Donnelly; and for those whose anniversaries occur about now: Mgr. Peter O'Farrell, Ivy May Jackson, John Lennox, Peter Docherty, James Devlin, Marcus Simpson, James & Alice Cannovan, James & Catherine Cannovan - Lord, hear us.
Loving Father, You sent Your Son to be God-with-us, to share our sorrows and joys. Hear our prayers for ourselves and for our world, and help us always to be channels of Your love and peace.