Sunday, December 21, 2025 - 4th Sunday of Advent - A
[Isa 7:10-14; Rom 1:1-7; Matt 1:18-24]
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. [Matthew]
The Gospel According to Matthew, written for a primarily Jewish-Christian community, is careful to "document" Jesus' life as a fulfillment of messianic prophecy. The "annunciation scene" to Joseph refers to the prophecy of Isaiah, which we will hear in the first scripture for today. Another, more subtle, allusion to Old Testament influence in this scene, and in the subsequent parts of Matthew's infancy narrative is that all communication from the Lord to Joseph takes place in dreams. The biblical figure of Joseph in the Book of Genesis portrays him as a "dreamer." [Genesis 37] (I find it interesting that popular devotion to St. Joseph, in my experience, rarely mentions the "dreamer" part of his life.)
The "big picture" of God's plan of salvation will take us, in the Gospel According to Matthew, above the scene in Bethlehem to the star which will attract the Magi, representing a greater universe of faith than that of Israel. That story includes prophecies from Micah about Bethlehem and Jeremiah about the slaughter of the Holy Innocents. But again there is also a subtle reference to Isaiah 60:6 about caravans of camels bearing gold and frankincense to Zion, but with the addition of myrrh by Matthew in a reference to Jesus' future death. It is all very rich imagery.
The cares and challenges of preparation for the celebration of Christmas, as well as those cares we already have (which can be magnified in this time), can make it difficult to go very deeply into the profound message in God's word, proclaimed in the gospel accounts of Jesus' origins and birth. The Gospel According to John which proclaims, "And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us..." [John 1:14] will take us beyond time before creation! The full meaning of that nativity scene we set up in our homes is an invitation to reflect seriously on, and be deeply grateful for, God's love and mercy and to proclaim it on Christmas Day: "Christ is born! Alleluia!" AMEN
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