By Fr. Andrew Kelly
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT – DEC. 22
Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 1:18-24) begins: “Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah (Christ) took place in this way.” Matthew wants the believing community to ask itself: “How is Jesus the Messiah born into the life of this particular 2013 community?”
Matthew offers Joseph as the model. Through the grace of God, Joseph’s eyes, heart, mind and soul were opened. Joseph became an obedient servant of faith to the Word of God. In faith, when Joseph obeyed the Word of God, the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place.
The Sunday Scriptures are the “dream” in which God reveals to the community just who and how Jesus is the Messiah. Through prayerful listening to the words, deeds, life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah, the community begins to both understand and believe the meaning of Jesus’ name:
“…[Y]ou are to name him Jesus, for Jesus will save God’s people from their sins … they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’”
When the community, like Joseph, acts upon and lives the “dream,” an awesome miraculous event takes place both within the life of the community and the world: “Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way.”
(Father Andrew Kelly is a retired priest of the Diocese of Davenport.)
Scripture Readings for Dec. 22-29
Sunday
Is 7:10-14
Rom 1:1-7
Mt 1:18-24
Monday
Mal 3:1-4, 23-24
Lk 1:57-66
Tuesday
2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16
Lk 1:67-79
Wednesday
Is 52:7-10
Heb 1:1-6
Jn 1:1-18 or Jn 1:1-5, 9-14
Thursday
Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59
Mt 10:17-22
Friday
1 Jn 1:1-4
Jn 20:1a and 2-8
Saturday
1 Jn 1:5—2:2
Mt 2:13-18
Sunday
Sir 3:2-6, 12-14
Col 3:12-21 or Col 3:12-17
Mt 2:13-15, 19-23
