4th Sunday of Advent - Cycle A

Throughout this season of Advent we have been focused on the ancient prophecy of the coming of a messiah, and how through Jesus we have the fulfillment of that prophecy.  This Fourth Sunday of Advent is no different as we read more about what to expect with the coming of this savior:

The Word for the 4th Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 7:10-14
Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Romans 1:1-7
Mathew 1:18-24

Our first reading is again from the book of the prophet Isaiah.  This week we go back to an earlier time where King Ahaz is in trouble.  The Assyrian Empire is on the move.  The Northern Kingdom of Israel is under threat and King Ahaz of Judah is concerned that Jerusalem and his kingdom are next.  Rival forces are converging on Jerusalem, so Isaiah is called by the Lord to go and meet with Ahaz and begs him to stand firm in his faith in the Lord.  Ahaz, on the other hand, is more comfortable putting his trust in the might of the Assyrians.  Our passage this Sunday picks up the story.  The Lord is upset with Ahaz and is trying to give him one last chance to repent – to “ask for a sign from the Lord your God.”  While God sees this as an opportunity for reconciliation, Ahaz doesn’t take the bait, which causes God to get angry (…is it not enough for you to weary people…”), and in a show of power, tells Ahaz that “as a sign” a virgin will give birth, bear a son, and name him Emmanuel, which means “God Saves” (which is “Yehoshua” in ancient Hebrew, or “Jesus” in Ancient Greek).  This scene is a power play between Ahaz and God (a bold move on the part of Ahaz) with God saying, “If you can’t trust me, I will send someone who does.”  Our Psalm follows through on that sentiment as we sing, “Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory.”  If we put our trust and faith in the Lord above all others, we can’t lose.

Our second reading from the opening of Paul’s letter to the Romans.  Here Paul states unequivocally that in Christ Jesus we have this long-promised messiah, a descendent of King David, but a king that belongs to everyone, including the Gentiles and the beloved people of God in Rome.  Perhaps equally important is how Paul describes himself to this Roman Church – as “a slave of Christ Jesus,” a sentiment that many of these early Roman Christians understood well.  By Paul placing himself as a slave to the Gospel, he also clearly establishes understanding that no one of us is above another, except for the Lord.

Our Gospel from Matthew then goes on to explain the birth of Jesus, using those very same words prophesied by Isaiah in our first reading.  It’s no coincidence that Matthew made this connection to the original prophecy.  We need to remember that Matthew’s original audience was Jewish.  As such, a Jewish audience would know and remember these words from Isaiah, and Matthew is quick to make the connection from that older prophecy to that of Jesus.  This is typical of Matthew, drawing on the words of the prophets to reinforce his evangelization, to show his Jewish followers that Jesus is indeed the one who was foretold would come.

For us Christians, it is a reminder for us of both Jesus’ immaculate conception and Joseph’s willingness to accept this calling.  It needs to be noted that Joseph, by Mosaic Law, did not have to accept Mary after learning of her pregnancy and was well within the Law to have her stoned to death.  Not only was he willing to spare her shame, he willingly accepted God’s messenger and took Mary into his care.  This act of compassion is a sign of the Kingdom of God that is to come and reminds us that our duty is to serve one another.

Final thoughts:
The length of the season of Advent is a function of the calendar.  Depending on which day of the week December 25th falls determines how long the final week of advent will be.  With Christmas falling on a Sunday this year, we get to experience a full final week of Advent, and affording us a little more time to prepare for the holidays.

But here’s the thing – so many people forget that Christmas is not just one day.  Tradition holds that Christmas is actually 12 days (hence the song “the Twelve Days of Christmas), extending from the Nativity to the Epiphany.  But consider also that our modern Roman calendar stretches the Christmas season even longer, extending it to the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, this year on January 9th.  So long after our secular friends have packed away all the decorations, we Catholics should still be celebrating!

My point here is that regardless of how Christmas is celebrated in the secular realm, and regardless of how those others may define the “Christmas Season” (as being between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day) we Catholics should reclaim the tradition and celebrate as the early Church celebrated, experiencing the fullness of both the Advent and Christmas seasons, allowing our physical and spiritual preparations to take up the entirety of the Advent Season, and then allowing our celebrations to embrace the full Christmas Season, with lights and trees and music and family and friends – not just one day, but an entire season!