Jesus will be born of Mary, the betrothed of Joseph, a son of David

The Fourth Sunday of Advent – Year A 

Collect

Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The virgin will be with child 
Is 7:10-14 

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 

10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying: 

11 Ask the Lord, your God for a sign; 
    let it be as deep as the netherworld 
    or as high as the heavens. 

12 But Ahaz replied, “I will not ask. I will not put the Lord to the test.” 
13 Then Isaiah said: 

Listen, O house of David! 
    Are you not satisfied to try the patience of men? 
    Must you also try the patience of my God? 
14 Therefore, you will be given this sign 
    by the Lord himself: 
The virgin will be with child, 
    and she will give birth to a son, 
    and she will name him Immanuel. 

The Word of the Lord 

R/. Thanks be to God 

Psalm 23(24):1-2,3-4ab,5-6 

R/.(7c,10b): Let him enter, the king of glory! 

1 The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, 
    the world and all who live in it.  
2 For he founded it on the seas 
    and established it on the rivers. R/. 

3 Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? 
    Who may stand in his holy place? 
4 One who has clean hands and a pure heart,  
    who does not turn his mind to vanities. R./ 

5He will receive a blessing from the Lord 
    and vindication from God, his Saviour. 
6 This is the generation of those who seek him, 
    who seek the face of the God of Jacob. R./ 

Second Reading
Rom 1:1-7

Jesus Christ, descended from David, is the Son of God.

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans

Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus,
   called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God,
   which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,
   the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh,
   but established as Son of God in power
   according to the Spirit of holiness
   through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Through him we have received the grace of apostleship,
   to bring about the obedience of faith,
   for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles,
   among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ;
   to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
   and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acclamation before the Gospel
Mt 1:23

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel.

℟. Alleluia, alleluia

Gospel
Mt 1:18-24

Jesus will be born of Mary, the betrothed of Joseph, a son of David.

✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
   but before they lived together,
   she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
   yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
   decided to divorce her quietly.
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.
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.

At the end of the Gospel, the Deacon, or the Priest, acclaims:

The Gospel of the Lord.

All reply:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection 
During this Advent, through the Advent wreath with its four candles, we were invited each Sunday to reflect on Hope, Love, Joy, and on the Fourth Sunday to reflect on Peace. |

How absent is peace amongst us and in other countries far from our shores!  It is enough to recall those who have experienced tragedy on our Island.  It is also sufficient to think of the Ukrainian community that is living amongst us, whom Pope Francis referred to as the Martyrised people of the Ukraine. 

In the First Reading, God invites Ahaz to ask for a sign.  But Ahaz lost his peace because he refused to ask for a sign for various reasons, mainly because he did not want to put God to the test.  Yet God, as in all circumstances in which we lack faith and peace, promptly gives us a sign of peace: The virgin will be with child, and she will give birth to a son. 

As the angels announced on Christmas day, this virgin and her child, brought peace on earth to men of good will. 

In Psalm 23 (24) we pray that from these people of good will, God will form for Himself a generation that seek the face of the God of Jacob. 

In the Gospel taken from the first chapter of St. Matthew, we find Joseph confused and troubled, discerning the right decision to make so that Mary, his betrothed, would not face the justice of merciless people.  God does not leave Joseph in the darkness of doubt, but cares for him in his distress. 

God’s angel comforts Joseph’s troubled heart by revealing to him that what is about to take place is part of God’s plan for humanity. 

Imagine how Joseph must have felt when his heart found rest in God’s will after being told that he also was called to participate in the plan of salvation.  It was only after receiving this peace that he was able to enter into God’s plan and take Mary as his wife. 

Prayer 

Lord, grant me the grace, like Joseph, to discern what you desire of me.  Like Joseph, give me the grace to abandon my own plans so that I may be filled with peace, trust and enthusiasm in the vitality of your Holy will for me. Amen. 

 

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