Meditation for the Fourth Sunday of Advent, A: Our Lady will give birth to a Son, Emmanuel – Vatican News

Readings: Is 7, 10-16; Ps 23 (24), 1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6; Rm 1.1-7; Mt 1, 18-24

Dear brothers and sisters, on this fourth and last Sunday of Advent, the Church invites us to meditate on the circumstances of the birth of the child Jesus. The Scriptures show us how the child conceived by the Virgin Mary under the action of the Holy Spirit is the Messiah announced by the prophets.

Indeed, the Gospel according to Saint Matthew (Mt 1, 18-24) tells us of the appearance of the Angel of the Lord to Joseph in order to explain to him God’s plan and above all that he is not afraid to take Mary, his wife. Because, the child she carries within her comes from the Holy Spirit.

Reading the story of the announcement made to Joseph, one might wonder why God upsets Joseph’s plans in this way with his wife Mary by inserting his Son into them. No, God does not upset our plans. He perfects them, he makes them better. Because from now on Joseph will no longer be simply the humble carpenter of Nazareth, the husband of a young woman called Mary, but also the protector of the Messiah, of God with us: of Emmanuel. And the Virgin Mary, who had already consented to the divine plan, will become Mother of God.

Dear brothers and sisters, make room for God in all our projects, and he will make them more beautiful and bigger than we thought. If God made himself one of us, if he made himself Emmanuel to be with us always, why do we try to push him away or not acknowledge his presence? Fortunately there is always the Angel of the Lord who reminds us of this presence and makes us know God’s plan as he made it known to Joseph. This Angel can be a friend, a brother, a sister, parents simply have an acquaintance. It is up to us to remain attentive to the voice of God through those around us.

In the first reading from the book of Isaiah (Is 7, 10-16), King Acaz did not pay attention to the one who was at his side, the prophet Isaiah. He did not ask the Lord for a sign as the prophet had suggested to him. The sign that will be given is announced by the prophet himself:Behold, the young woman is pregnant, she will give birth to a son, and he will be called Emmanuel (that is to say: God with us)“.

The second reading, of the letter of Saint Paul Apostle to the Romans (Rm 1,1-7) recognizes Jesus as this sign, this Good News that God had promised through his prophets. Jesus is the Messiah who would come from the line of David.

And we who are preparing for the approaching Christmas feast, do we recognize in Jesus the sign of God? Do we adhere to the salvific plan of God carried out by his Son? Our adherence to God’s plan will bear more fruit if we become true leavens of unity, love and peace wherever we find ourselves.

May our words and actions bear witness to our adherence to God’s plan for the salvation of all humanity through his Son Jesus Christ. Amen.