On this last Sunday before Christmas, we see that Jesus’ birth is the fulfillment of the promise of Emmanuel, meaning “God is with us.” (Mt 1:23) The gospel refers to the first reading from Isaiah. There we see the king of Judah, Ahaz, is under attack by the kings of Aram and Israel. He wants to ask the Assyrians for help, instead of relying on God. He is afraid to admit his lack of faith. The weakness of Ahaz gives us the wonderful prophecy of the birth of Jesus.
In the gospel, Joseph also does not understand how Mary was pregnant. But unlike Ahaz, Joseph did have faith in God and the message of the angel. He took Mary as his wife and helped her through her pregnancy and afterwards in raising Jesus.
So now we have to choose who we rely on: Do I act like Ahaz, relying on the worldly powers, or like Joseph who trusted the Lord? If I look at my actions and priorities, I might be more like Ahaz than I want to admit.
How much time do I spend watching television compared to time in prayer? How much time to I spend reading the scriptures compared to the newspaper or magazines? If I really believe that “God is with us,” which is what Christmas is all about, how much of God can people see in my actions? Maybe if we kept in mind that promise that God IS with us, in the Baptism we received and the sacraments of the Church, and the love of our spouse or parents—we could see how close God really is and let others see in our actions, that Jesus is Emmanuel.
Tom Schmidt, Diocesan Publications
Fourth Sunday of Advent | USCCB