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     Beginning yesterday, December 17, the liturgical tradition of the church starts a kind of "count down" to Christmas.  At evening prayer there is a series of special antiphons that all begin with "O come..." which have been sung in the popular Advent hymn, "O come, O come, Emmanuel!"  All of these antiphons express a form of hope represented in an Old Testament prophecy.  Most of these prophecies were spoken at times when the Chosen People were in great need of hope - especially in the Babylonian exile and just after it ended.  In some ways, this hope was "hoping against hope!"  Could God possibly bring good from the Davidic line of kings that were mostly corrupt, brutal and evil?  [Only Josiah gets a good rating.]  The same kind of question would be asked about Jesus.  Could God miraculously raise up a savior from a carpenter's wife?  Today's gospel passage from Matthew gives us an answer from Joseph, of the house of David!

     The prophecy quoted in Matthew today is from Isaiah.  It expresses the hope that through the birth of a child God will show that "God is with us!"  - "Emmanuel!"  Something very dramatic had to occur to make Joseph change his mind and not divorce Mary because of her pregnancy.  This act of kindness and mercy was extraordinary.  Something different must have occurred - a revelation of some kind.  Matthew represents this as a message in a dream.   Our faith and Matthew's story tells us that in this child we know that "God is with us!"  He is the "righteous shoot" and the manifestation of God's loving presence.  Let the "count down" continue!  AMEN