Fourth Sunday of Advent (A)

December 22, 2019

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 7: 10-14

Psalm 24 “Let the Lord enter, he is King of glory.”

Second Reading: Romans 1: 1-7

Gospel reading according to Matthew 1: 18-24

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Homily:

The story of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ is told by Matthew, the Evangelist and one of the twelve apostles.  Matthew lived in Galilee (Capernaum), and son of Alphaeus; he spoke Aramaic and Greek and was a tax collector. Most probably he was an educated man.  He may probably know the families of Mary and Joseph and he heard the good news about the birth of Jesus, for he too came from Galilee (Nazareth).  He knew the story of the betrothal of Mary to Joseph, the annunciation of the virgin birth of Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit as proclaimed by the Archangel Gabriel.  'This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about' (Matthew 1: 18).  So, let us listen attentively to the story of the birth of our Lord Jesus the Christ narrated by Matthew.

The story went like this.  Mary was betrothed to Joseph after she was released from the Temple service in Jerusalem.  She was more or less fourteen or fifteen years old at the time of her betrothal to Joseph. Though they were married in the eyes of the people and of God, they have not yet live as husband and wife in one house or roof.  Mary was still living with her parents – Joaquim and Anna, because she was separated for many years when she was small girl and raised in the Temple together with other young girls as living offerings for the gift of children, she will spend some time with her parents, while Joseph lived in his own house waiting for Mary to come with him. 'When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit' (Matthew 1: 18). Secretly, Mary carried in her womb the Son of God as announced by an angel of God, and alone she carried by herself the burden as mother of the Son of Man, even Joseph her husband as well as her parents, relatives and neighbors did not know that Mary was carrying a child in her womb. Nobody knows her pregnancy conceived by the Holy Spirit, in accordance to God's will.

Only later, when Joseph her husband most probably visited Mary in her home maybe Mary told him about her condition, for it was about three months that passed of her pregnancy.  'Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly' (Matthew 1: 19).  Joseph, for a while, was not able to accept the condition of Mary, as if he was thinking that Mary was not faithful to him and he could not take it.  But, because he was a righteous man and he loved Mary more than anybody else, he did not want to expose Mary to a shameful situation, the ridicules of people, mock her, even curse her and expel her in her community or else she might be killed by stoning to death for her infidelity, unfaithfulness, betrayal, cheating, in short adultery to their marriage vows.  By divorcing her, at least he can save Mary's life, honor and dignity, but she cannot escape the lampoon, ridicule and call name names for they will think that Mary is not a good wife to Joseph.  

His divorcing to Mary might save Mary's life, but still he cannot decide properly, because he worries about Mary’s condition.  He cannot sleep well, he was thinking Mary and the infant in her womb, yet he cannot accept it that someone impregnated Mary.  Finally, he decided to leave Mary by divorcing her.  'Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: 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' (Matthew 1: 20).  While he was sleeping, suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared in his dream and explained to him what had happened to Mary and the child in her womb.  The angel said, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.'  There is nothing to worry about in taking Mary in his home.  The angel told Joseph about the virgin birth through the Holy Spirit, and the child to be conceived is the Son of God.

Then the angel told Joseph that he is the one to give name to the child, and the name given by heaven to the Son of Mary is Jesus.  'She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins' (Matthew 1: 21).  Joseph will give then name to his foster son Jesus for he is destined to save his people from their sins. He will raise and help and support Jesus to fulfill the plan of God for him.  Joseph is the chosen one to protect the mother and the son from all harm and danger until he grows up and mature.

While Mary was the chosen virgin, pure, holy and clean, to become the mother of the Son of God, as it was written in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 7:14: 'All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, God is with us' (Matthew 1: 22-23). It was prophesied long, long time ago this event that happened to Mary, she is the virgin to give birth to a son, whose name to be given was Jesus, the God who comes to bring light and salvation to the whole world.

When Joseph learned all this in the dream through an angel of God, when he woke up he hurriedly went to the house of Mary and asked her hands from her parents that he will take Mary in his home.  'When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home' (Matthew 1: 24).  There, in his home, he took care Mary, loved her with full respect, and with all his heart with a pure intention that is to serve her and her son, whom he will name Jesus.