Study and Meditations on this Sunday's Scripture Readings: December 19th

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Gospel - Matthew 1:18-24

Having heard of the Annunciation as the gospel reading for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, we now hear about Joseph and his reaction to the news.

St. Matthew begins his gospel in a typical Hebrew fashion, by giving the genealogical table of Jesus, who was born of Mary (1: 1-16). He does not mention the Annunciation, nor Mary’s problem of preserving virginity while becoming a mother. But the revelation given to Joseph, Mary’s betrothed, which Matthew here describes, brings out the fact of the virginal conception of Jesus, and his messianic mission of salvation. Matthew then adds that Christ was the Messiah, to be born of a virgin, of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke, seven centuries earlier (see this Sunday’s 1st Reading).

Here is the Gospel Reading as we will hear it this Sunday:

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.

 

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From the Navarre Bible Commentary:

The Virginal Conception of Jesus, and His Birth
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*[18] Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; *

18. St. Matthew relates here how Christ was conceived (cf. Luke 1:25-38): “We truly honor and venerate (Mary) as Mother of God, because she gave birth to a person who is at the same time both God and man” (“St. Pius V Catechism”, I, 4, 7).

According to the provisions of the Law of Moses, engagement took place about one year before marriage and enjoyed almost the same legal validity. The marriage proper consisted, among other ceremonies, in the bride being brought solemnly and joyously to her husband’s house (cf. Deuteronomy 20:7).

From the moment of engagement onwards, a certificate of divorce was needed in the event of a break in the relationship between the couple.

The entire account of Jesus’ birth teaches, through the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 (which is expressly quoted in verses 22-23) that: 1) Jesus has David as His ancestor since Joseph is His legal father; 2) Mary is the Virgin who gives birth according to the prophecy; 3) the Child’s conception without the intervention of man was miraculous.

*19] and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away quietly. *

19. “St. Joseph was an ordinary sort of man on whom God relied to do great things. He did exactly what the Lord wanted him to do, in each and every event that went to make up his life. That is why Scripture praises Joseph as `a just man’. In Hebrew a just man means a good and faithful servant of God, someone who fulfills the divine will (cf. Genesis 7:1; 18:23-32; Ezekiel 18:5ff.; Proverbs 12:10), or who is honorable and charitable toward his neighbor (cf. Tobias 7:6; 9:6). So a just man is someone who loves God and proves his love by keeping God’s commandments and directing his whole life towards the service of his brothers, his fellow men” ([St] J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 40).

Joseph considered his spouse to be holy despite the signs that she was going to have a child. He was therefore faced with a situation he could not explain. Precisely because he was trying to do God’s will, he felt obliged to put her away; but to shield her from public shame he decided to send her away quietly.

Mary’s silence is admirable. Her perfect surrender to God even leads her to the extreme of not defending her honor or innocence. She prefers to suffer suspicion and shame rather than reveal the work of grace in her. Faced with a fact which was inexplicable in human terms she abandons herself confidently to the love and providence of God. God certainly submitted the holy souls of Joseph and Mary to a severe trial. We ought not to be surprised if we also undergo difficult trials in the course of our lives. We ought to trust in God during them, and remain faithful to Him, following the example they gave us.

Concluded on next post…

 

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*[20] But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; *

**20. **God gives His light to those who act in an upright way and who trust in His power and wisdom when faced with situations which exceed human understanding. By calling him the son of David, the angel reminds Joseph that he is the providential link which joins Jesus with the family of David, according to Nathan’s messianic prophecy (cf. 2 Samuel 7:12). As St. John Chrysostom says: “At the very start he straightaway reminds him of David, of whom the Christ was to spring, and he does not wish him to be worried from the moment he reminds him, through naming his most illustrious ancestor, of the promise made to all his lineage” (“Hom. on St. Matthew”, 4).

“The same Jesus Christ, our only Lord, the Son of God, when He assumed human flesh for us in the womb of the Virgin, was not conceived like other men, from the seed of man, but in a manner transcending the order of nature, that is, by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that the same person, remaining God as He was from eternity, became man, which He was not before” (“St. Pius V Catechism”, I, 4, 1).

[21] she will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

**21. **According to the Hebrew root, the name Jesus means “savior”. After our Lady, St. Joseph is the first person to be told by God that salvation has begun.

“Jesus is the proper name of the God-man and signifies `Savior’–a name given Him not accidentally, or by the judgment or will of man, but by the counsel and command of God” …]. All other names which prophecy gave to the Son of God–Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (cf. Isaiah 9:6)–are comprised in this one name Jesus; for while they partially signified the salvation which He was to bestow on us, this name included the force and meaning of all human salvation" (“St. Pius V Catechism”, I, 3, 5 and 6).

*[22] All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: [23] “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and His name shall be called Emmanuel” (which means God with us). *

23. “Emmanuel”: the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14, quoted in this verse, foretold about 700 years in advance that God’s salvation would be marked by the extraordinary event of virgin giving birth to a son. The Gospel here, therefore, reveals two truths.

First, that Jesus is in fact the God-with-us foretold by the prophet. This is how Christian tradition has always understood it. Indeed the Church has officially condemned an interpretation denying the messianic sense of the Isaiah text (cf. Pius VI, Brief, “Divina”, 1779). Christ is truly God-with-us, therefore, not only because of His God-given mission but because He is God made man (cf. John 1:14). This does not mean that Jesus should normally be called Emmanuel, for this name refers more directly to the mystery of His being the Incarnate Word. At the Annunciation the angel said that He should be called Jesus, that is, Savior. And that was the name St. Joseph gave Him.

The second truth revealed to us by the sacred text is that Mary, in whom the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 is fulfilled, was a virgin before and during the birth itself. The miraculous sign given by God that salvation had arrived was precisely that a woman would be a virgin and a mother at the same time.

“Jesus Christ came forth from His mother’s womb without injury to her maternal virginity. This immaculate and perpetual virginity forms, therefore, the just theme of our eulogy. Such was the work of the Holy Spirit, who at the conception and birth of the Son so favored the Virgin Mother as to impart fruitfulness to her while preserving inviolate her perpetual virginity” (“St. Pius V Catechism”, I, 4, 8).
*
[24] When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him. [25] but knew her not untilshe had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.*

 

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From the 1859 Haydock Commentary with Douay-Rheims text:

18 Now the birth of Christ was thus: When Mary, his mother, was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
**
Ver. 18.* The account of the birth of Jesus Christ follows his genealogy. From these words, “before they came together,” Helvidius and others have started objections, which have been answered long ago by St. Jerome, where he shews in many examples from Scripture, that the words before and *until *do not signify what happened afterwards; for that point is left indefinite, but only what was done before, or not done. Thus when it is said, Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool, Psalm cix, by no means signifies, that after the subjection of his enemies, the Son of God is no longer to sit at the right hand of his Father. In common conversation, when we say that a man died before he reached his 30th year, we do not mean that he afterwards attained it. Or, should we say that Helvidius died before he did penance, we cannot mean that he afterwards did penance: the same conclusion should be deduced from the words, “before they came together,” the end being accomplished by the power of the operation of the Holy Ghost, without their going together. If we should advance, that such a man was cured before he went to a physician, the natural inference would be, that he did not go to a physician at all. Thus also in the language of Scripture, the word first-begotten does not mean after whom others were born, but before whom no one was born, whether there were further issue or not. And the reason is, because the law required that a sacrifice should be offered for the first-born, and that he should be redeemed very soon after his birth; nor did it allow the parents to wait and see if any other son should be born. (Estius) — True and perfect marriage, and continual living in the same, without knowing each other. (St. Augustine, lib. ii. Consen. Evang. chap. i.) (Bristow)

19 Whereupon Joseph, her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately.

Ver. 19. And Joseph her husband, knowing her strict virtue, was surprised at this her pregnancy, but “being a just man,” and not willing to expose her, by denouncing her, or giving her a bill of divorce, he had a mind to dismiss her privately, committing the whole cause to God. Let us learn from Joseph to be ever tender of our neighbour’s reputation, and never to entertain any injurious thoughts, or any suspicions to his prejudice. (Haydock)

Concluded on the next post…

 

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20 But while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost.
**
Ver. 20.** Fear not to take, &c. i.e., fear not to marry her, if we suppose them not yet married, or if married already, the sense is, fear not to keep and remain with thy chaste wife; lay aside all thoughts of dismissing and leaving her. (Witham) — As the incarnation of the Son of God was effected by the whole blessed Trinity, it may be asked why this operation is peculiarly attributed to the Holy Ghost, not only here, but in Luke ii. and in the apostles’ creed? The answer is, because as power is attributed to the Father, wisdom to the Son, so goodness is attributed to the Holy Ghost, and the gifts of grace which proceed from it. (Estius in diff. loca.)

*21 And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.
*
Ver. 21. Jesus…he shall save, &c. The characteristic name of Saviour was peculiar to the Messias, by which he was distinguished, as well as by the adorable name of Jesus. The expectations of both Jew and Gentile looked forward to a saviour. St. Augustine, in the 18th book, 23rd chapter, de Civitate Dei, introduces a curious anecdote. He mentions there, that he received from the eloquent and learned Proconsul Flactianus, a book containing in Greek the verses of one of the Sybils, which related to the coming of Christ. The substance of them is much the same as occurs in the prophecies of Isaiah, from which Virgil has likewise copied into his Pollio, many of the sublime thoughts which we find in that beautiful eclogue. It is remarkable that of the initials of these verses, St. Augustine had formed an acrostic to the following import, Iesous Christos Deos uios soter; that is, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Saviour. (Haydock)
*
22 Now all this was done that the word might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying:

Ver. 22. The Greeks in general, after St. John Chrysostom, look upon this as a continuation of the angel’s speech to St. Joseph. The other Fathers and commentators think it a reflection of the evangelist.

23 *Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

**Ver. 23. **Behold a virgin, &c. The Jews sometimes objected, as we see in St. Justin’s dialogue with Tryphon, that the Hebrew word alma, in the prophet Isaias, signified no more than a young woman. But St. Jerome tells us that alma signifies a virgin kept close up. Let the Jews, says he, shew me any place in which the Hebrew word alma, is applied to any one that is not a virgin, and I will own my ignorance. Besides the very circumstances in the text of the prophet, are more than a sufficient confutation of this Jewish exposition; for there a sign, or miracle, is promised to Achaz; and what miracle would it be for a young woman to have a child, when she had ceased to be a virgin? (Witham) — How happens it that nowhere in the gospels, or in any other part, do we find Christ called Emmanuel? I answer, that in the Greek expression the name is given for the thing signified; and the meaning is: He shall be a true Emmanuel, i.e., a God with us, true God and true man. (Estius) — The text says, they shall call, i.e., all men shall look upon Him as an Emmanuel. Again, his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty, the Prince of peace, &c., i.e., He shall be all these, not so much nominally, as really and in effect. (Haydock)

*24 And Joseph rising up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took unto him his wife. *

Ver. 24. The heretic Helvidius argues from this text, and from what we read in the gospel of Christ’s brethren, that Christ had brothers, and Mary other sons. But it is evident that in the style of the Scriptures, they who were no more than cousins were called brothers and sisters. (Haydock)

 

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Other thoughts and comments on this Sunday’s Gospel Reading:

**
18 Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: **This was the double name (“Jesus” his given name, and his title “Christ”—or “the Anointed One”—Christos in Greek; Messiah in Hebrew) by which our Lord was known to all Christians, by the time Matthew’s gospel was written.

When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together: Betrothed (espoused) was more than engaged, it was considered married; although the groom had not taken the bride into his house, an event that took place on the seventh day of the marriage feast. Once a couple was betrothed, any children born were considered to be the legitimate issue of the couple. In Mary’s case, this did not take place until some five or six months after the Annunciation.

In Mary’s case, this may seem strange, when we realize her apparent intention of preserving her virginity, but marriages were arranged by parents in those days, and Mary was an obedient daughter. Most likely she had not informed her parents of the unusual resolve, inspired by God, which she had taken.

she was found with child through the holy Spirit: Most probably it was Joseph himself who discovered this because Mary confided in him. If Joseph was, according to God’s plan, to be the means by which Jesus would be born into the house of David, there was no reason for her not to tell Joseph. Matthew adds this explanation of the virginal conception (Luke gives much more detail), for the benefit of his readers.

Continued on the next post…

 

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**
19 Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man:** “Joseph” means “let him (God) add”. Some scholars suggest the original form of the name was “let him gather”. He is called righteous (“upright”, or “just”) because of his desire to observe the Law. This he holds in common with his Old Testament namesake, Joseph, the son of another Jacob (Mt 1:16; Genesis 37—50). As a just man Joseph would have been bound to denounce an unfaithful spouse. He did not, because he must have known of her innocence, and must have been aware of the Annunciation story. But he began to feel that he was unworthy to have any part in this divine plan, and therefore he was about to dissolve the betrothal contract, quietly and secretly, so that the good name of Mary would be saved.

yet unwilling to expose her to shame: The literal sense is that he did not want to make a public spectacle of her.

**decided to divorce her quietly: **Joseph is called husband (verse 19) even though the actual marriage had not yet taken place. The act of betrothal, which was a very solemn contract among the Jews, legally made the betrothed pair husband and wife, in all things, except the actual use of marriage. Should one of the betrothed pair die before the actual marriage took place, the other person was regarded as a widow or widower. Should a girl, who was betrothed, behave unchastely with another man, she was deemed guilty of adultery, just as a married woman would be. The man to whom she was betrothed was then bound to denounce her, and give her a bill of divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1) as opposed to the trial by ordeal (Numbers 5:11-31). Levitical law required stoning of an adulterous wife (Deuteronomy 22:21).

**20 Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream: **Revelation given through dreams was fairly common in the Old Testament; this is another characteristic Joseph shares with his OT namesake, a noted interpreter of dreams. Just as the angel of the Lord announces the birth of Samson (Judges 13:3), here it announces the name of the child: Jesus (means “Yahweh is salvation”).

The name of “angel of the Lord” that appears to Joseph is not mentioned, as it is in Luke, chapter 1, but it is probably also Gabriel.
**
and said, "Joseph, son of David:** Joseph is addressed as son of David, to remind him of the messianic prophecy, and that he was to have a part in God’s messianic plans.

Concluded on the next post…

 

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**do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home: **This message of the angel confirms what was suggested above. Joseph was afraid. He felt himself utterly unworthy, but God now tells him to accept the honor offered to him.

For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. 21 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus: It was the father’s right to name his child. Joseph is fully aware that he is not the real father of this child to be born, but he is ordered by the angel to adopt him as his own, by naming him.
**
because he will save his people from their sins.":** Matthew here exploits the meaning of the name which can be popularly translated as “God saves”. The Hebrew name is “Joshua” which appears in Greek as Iesous which English transliterates as Jesus.

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Matthew now goes on to show that the birth of Christ from a virgin mother, without human father, was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (see the First Reading for today). Fulfillment occurs eleven times in Matthew, more than the other three gospels combined.

**23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son: ** Quotes Isaiah 7:14 (our first reading) according to the Septuagint except for “they shall call”. The Septuagint says “you shall call”. Matthew uses the text to affirm the virgin birth. His emphasis, however, seems to be more on the declaration of a savior who shall be called Emmanuel (God is with us), than on the word “virgin” (the Septuagint used the Greek word for “virgin” rather than the one for “young girl” as the Hebrew might have). The birth initiates the Messianic age of salvation to which the whole Old Testament looks forward. The age begins with the birth of a child. Jesus makes the presence of God among His people a physical reality.

**and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means “God is with us.”: **This name is fulfilled in the Holy Eucharist and also is fulfilled in Matthew 28:20 where Jesus declares “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age”.

24 When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home: He took Mary to his home, and humbly accepted the divine charge of foster-father of the Messiah, the Son of God made man.

The next verse “He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus” has caused trouble since the early heresies of the Helvidians and the Jovians who concluded from it that Mary and Joseph had marital relations after the birth of Jesus. “Until” doesn’t always mean that something happens—I haven’t been a millionaire until today, but I don’t expect I’ll be one tomorrow either. The Jews didn’t believe the man had been born blind (John 9:18) until they summoned his parents; they didn’t believe after that either.

 

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Catechism Paragraphs Referencing Matthew 1:18-24

333 From the Incarnation to the Ascension, the life of the Word incarnate is surrounded by the adoration and service of angels. When God "brings the firstborn into the world, he says: ‘Let all God’s angels worship him.’"196 Their song of praise at the birth of Christ has not ceased resounding in the Church’s praise: "Glory to God in the highest!"197 They protect Jesus in his infancy, serve him in the desert, strengthen him in his agony in the garden, when he could have been saved by them from the hands of his enemies as Israel had been.198 Again, it is the angels who “evangelize” by proclaiming the Good News of Christ’s Incarnation and Resurrection.199 They will be present at Christ’s return, which they will announce, to serve at his judgement.200

196. Heb 1:6.

197. Lk 2:14.

198. Cf. Mt 1:20; 2:13,19; 4:11; 26:53; Mk 1:13; Lk 22:43; 2 Macc 10:29-30; 11:8.

199. Cf. Lk 2:8-14; Mk 16:5-7.

200. Cf. Acts 1:10-11; Mt 13:41; 24:31; Lk 12:8-9.

430 Jesus means in Hebrew: “God saves.” At the annunciation, the angel Gabriel gave him the name Jesus as his proper name, which expresses both his identity and his mission.18 Since God alone can forgive sins, it is God who, in Jesus his eternal Son made man, “will save his people from their sins”.19 in Jesus, God recapitulates all of his history of salvation on behalf of men.

18. Cf. Lk 1:31.
19. Mt 1:21; cf. 2:7.

437 To the shepherds, the angel announced the birth of Jesus as the Messiah promised to Israel: "To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."32 From the beginning he was “the one whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world”, conceived as “holy” in Mary’s virginal womb.33 God called Joseph to “take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit”, so that Jesus, “who is called Christ”, should be born of Joseph’s spouse into the messianic lineage of David.34

32. Lk 2:11.

33. Jn 10:36; cf. Lk 1:35.

34. Mt 1:20; cf. 1:16; Rom 1:1; 2 Tim 2:8; Rev 22:16.

486 The Father’s only Son, conceived as man in the womb of the Virgin Mary, is “Christ”, that is to say, anointed by the Holy Spirit, from the beginning of his human existence, though the manifestation of this fact takes place only progressively: to the shepherds, to the magi, to John the Baptist, to the disciples.123 Thus the whole life of Jesus Christ will make manifest "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power."124

123. Cf. Mt 1:20; 2:1-12; Lk 1:35; 2:8-20; Jn 1:31-34; 2:11.

124. Acts 10:38.

497 The Gospel accounts understand the virginal conception of Jesus as a divine work that surpasses all human understanding and possibility:148 “That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit”, said the angel to Joseph about Mary his fiancee.149 The Church sees here the fulfillment of the divine promise given through the prophet Isaiah: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son."150

148. Mt 1:18-25; Lk 1:26-38.

149. Mt 1:20.

150. Isa 7:14 in the LXX, quoted in Mt 1:23 (Gk.).

Continued on the next post…

 

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**
1507** The risen Lord renews this mission ("In my name . . . they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."116) and confirms it through the signs that the Church performs by invoking his name.117 These signs demonstrate in a special way that Jesus is truly "God who saves."118

116. Mk 16:17-18.

117. Cf. Acts 9:34; 14:3.

118. Cf. Mt 1:21; Acts 4:12.

**
MERCY AND SIN

1846 **The Gospel is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God’s mercy to sinners.113 The angel announced to Joseph: "You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."114 The same is true of the Eucharist, the sacrament of redemption: "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."115

113. Cf. Lk 15.

114. Mt 1:21.

115. Mt 26:28.

**2666 **But the one name that contains everything is the one that the Son of God received in his incarnation: JESUS. The divine name may not be spoken by human lips, but by assuming our humanity The Word of God hands it over to us and we can invoke it: “Jesus,” "YHWH saves."16 The name “Jesus” contains all: God and man and the whole economy of creation and salvation. To pray “Jesus” is to invoke him and to call him within us. His name is the only one that contains the presence it signifies. Jesus is the Risen One, and whoever invokes the name of Jesus is welcoming the Son of God who loved him and who gave himself up for him.17

16. Cf. Ex 3:14; 33:19-23; Mt 1:21.

17. Rom 10:13; Acts 2:21; 3:15-16; Gal 2:20

.

2812 Finally, in Jesus the name of the Holy God is revealed and given to us, in the flesh, as Savior, revealed by what he is, by his word, and by his sacrifice.75 This is the heart of his priestly prayer: "Holy Father . . . for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth."76 Because he “sanctifies” his own name, Jesus reveals to us the name of the Father.77 At the end of Christ’s Passover, the Father gives him the name that is above all names: "Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."78

75. Cf. Mt 1:21; Lk 1:31; Jn 8:28; 17:8; 17:17-19.

76. Jn 17:11,19.

77. Cf. Ezek 20:39; 36:20-21; Jn 17:6.

78. Phil 2:9-11.

 

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Here are some questions for personal reflection on the Gospel Reading:

* How would you feel in Joseph’s place in verse 19? In verses 20-21? What would you say to your family and friends? To God?

* What reason does Matthew give as to why Jesus was born (verse 21; see Luke 1:67-79)?

* Matthew quotes Isaiah 7:14 and applies it to Jesus: How has the name “Emmanuel” been fulfilled in Jesus?

* What is most striking to you in this story of Jesus’ conception? How have you experienced Jesus as Emmanuel this Advent?

* What is the importance of the detail that Joseph “woke from sleep” as he was considering his relationship with Mary? What events in your life have entailed a similar “waking from sleep”? What happened as a result?

* What do you learn about trust and faith from Joseph?

 

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A meditation for practical application from Catholic Matters:

APPLICATION: “How unsearchable are the judgments of God and how inscrutable his ways!” as St. Paul says to the Romans (11: 33). If God had preserved the kingdom of Judah (which he could so easily have done), and if the Messiah, the son of David, were to be born in the royal palace in Jerusalem, it would be natural and we would almost say, more fitting the dignity of the Messiah. Instead. God allowed the kingly line, and the throne of Judah, to disappear, and he chose a humble carpenter of Nazareth, a true descendant of David but a lowly one, to be the foster-father of his divine Son, when he took human nature and came on earth to “dwell among us.” But God’s ways are not our ways. It is not by their social standing, nor by their bank-accounts, that God values men. Virtue is the scale he uses when weighing men. In God’s eyes, no king sat on the throne of Judah, not even David himself, who was more acceptable to God as foster-father for his Son, than the carpenter of Nazareth.

This is the last Sunday of our preparation for Christmas, the anniversary of Christ’s birth. Like Joseph, we can all feel unworthy of the honor of welcoming him into our hearts and our homes. We are indeed unworthy, not because we have little of this world’s goods, but because we have so little humility, so little charity, so little faith and trust in God’s goodness. Let us try to imitate Joseph and Mary, the humblest of the humble, the kindliest of the kindly, and the greatest-ever believers in God’s goodness and mercy. We can never hope to equal them, but we can follow them humbly, from afar.

The feast of Christmas should draw the hearts of every child of God towards the furnace of divine love. In the manger, the infinite love of God for us miserable sinners is dramatically and forcefully portrayed before our eyes. In that helpless Baby, represented by a statue, we know that the person, and the power, of the omnipotent Creator and sustainer of the universe lie hidden “He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave” for us. He became a creature, like ourselves, so that he would make us sharers in his divine nature. He came on earth to bring us to heaven. He hid his divine nature so that he could cover us with it.

“Unsearchable indeed are the judgments of God, and inscrutable his ways.” But though we are unworthy of his infinite love, it nevertheless stands out as clear as the noonday sun in the Incarnation. We realize that we can never make ourselves worthy of this infinite love, but let us imitate Joseph and accept the honor which God is giving us, as we trust that he will continue to make us daily less unworthy

 

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A meditation from Daily Scripture Readings & Meditations:

"He will save his people from their sins"

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-24
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Meditation: ** Do you believe that God will fulfill every promise he has made to us? The prophet Isaiah spoke words of hope in a hopeless situation for Israel. The Davidic dynasty was corrupt and unfit for a Messianic King. Apostates like King Ahaz (2 Kings 16) and weaklings like Zedekiah (Jeremiah 38) occupied the throne of David. When God offered King Ahaz a sign, the king refused. God, nonetheless, gave Israel a sign to assure his people that he would indeed raise up a righteous King who would rule forever over the house of David. We see the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy and the unfolding of God’s plan of redemption in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah. The new era of salvation begins with the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. This child to be born is the fulfillment of all God’s promises.

Mary had to face an enormous challenge to her faith and trust in God and to the faith of her family and Joseph, the man she chose to marry. She was asked to assume a burden of tremendous responsibility. It had never been heard of before that a child could be born without a natural father. Mary was asked to accept this miraculous exception to the laws of nature. That required faith and trust in God and in his promises. Second, Mary was not yet married. Pregnancy outside of wedlock was not tolerated in those days. Mary was only espoused to Joseph, and such an engagement had to last for a whole year. She was asked to assume a great risk. She could have been rejected by Joseph, by her family, by all her own people. Mary knew that Joseph and her family would not understand without revelation from God. She nonetheless believed and trusted in God’s promises.

Joseph, a just and God-fearing man, did not wish to embarrass or punish his espoused wife, Mary when he discovered that she was pregnant. To all appearances she had broken their solemn pledge to be faithful and chaste to one another. Joseph, no doubt took this troubling matter to God in prayer. He was not hasty to judge or to react with hurt and anger. God rewarded him not only with guidance and consolation, but with the divine assurance that he had indeed called Joseph to be the husband of Mary and to assume a mission that would require the utmost faith, confidence, and trust in Almighty God. Joseph believed in the divine message to take Mary as his wife and to accept the child in her womb as the promised Messiah. Like Mary, Joseph is a model of faith for us. He is a faithful witness and servant of God’s unfolding plan of redemption. Are you ready to believe in the promises of God, even when faced with perplexing circumstances and what seems like insurmountable problems? God has not left us alone, but has brought us his only begotten Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us celebrate Christmas, the feast of the Incarnation, with joyful hearts and let us renew our faith and hope in God and in his redeeming work.

*“Lord Jesus, you came to save us from sin and the power of death. May I always rejoice in your salvation and trust in your plan for my life”. *

 

[Fidelis]

A meditation on the Readings from Dr. Scott Hahn at the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology:

God Is With Us

The mystery kept secret for long ages, promised through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, is today revealed (see Romans 16:25-26).

This is the “Gospel of God” that Paul celebrates in today’s Epistle - the good news that “God is with us” in Jesus Christ. The sign promised to the House of David in today’s First Reading is given in today’s Gospel. In the virgin found with child, God himself has brought to Israel a savior from David’s royal line (see Acts 13:22-23).

Son of David according to the flesh, Jesus is the Son of God, born of the Spirit. He will be anointed with the Spirit (see Acts 10:38), and by the power of Spirit will be raised from the dead and established at God’s right hand in the heavens (see Acts 2:33-34; Ephesians 1:20-21).

He is the “King of Glory” we sing of in today’s Psalm. The earth in its fullness has been given to Him. And as God swore long ago to David, His Kingdom will have no end (see Psalm 89:4-5).

In Jesus Christ we have a new creation. Like the creation of the world, it is a work of the Spirit, a blessing from the Lord (see Genesis 1:2). In Him, we are saved from our sins, are called now “the beloved of God.”

All nations now are called to belong to Jesus Christ, to enter into the House of David and Kingdom of God, the Church. Together, through the obedience of faith, we have been made a new race - a royal people that seeks for the face of the God of Jacob.

He has made our hearts clean, made us worthy to enter His holy place, to stand in His presence and serve Him.

In the Eucharist, the everlasting covenant is renewed, the Advent promise of virgin with child - God with us - continues until the end of the age (see Matthew 28:20; Ezekiel 37:24-28).

 

[Fidelis]

A meditation on the Readings and questions for personal reflection or group discussion from The Word Among Us magazine:

“They shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” (Matthew 1:23)

Whenever you’re sad, lonely, or afraid, how heartening it is to have someone say, “I’m with you,” especially when their actions back up their words!

More than seven hundred years before Jesus’ birth, a frightened ruler received just such a message—and it came from the best source imaginable. Speaking through the prophet Isaiah, God himself told King Ahaz that he would save Jerusalem from an enemy army. He even confirmed this word with a sign: “The virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

Isaiah’s word to Ahaz referred to a specific young woman—perhaps a new wife of the king’s—and her providential pregnancy. But as today’s Gospel shows, that prophecy had unsuspected depths of meaning. Inspired by the Spirit, Matthew declares that Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of that promise. As God’s own Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit, he is not just a sign of God’s presence—he is “Emmanuel.” He is “God is with us’” (Matthew 1:23).

This is the ultimate “I’m with you” statement! It tells us that through the incarnation, the all-powerful God came to rescue what was lost. It tells us that out of boundless love, he sent his only Son to share our lot and save us from sin and death. Surely Jesus is God-with-us!

Take it to heart as God’s message to you today. If you’re singing a happy song, he’s with you in your joy. If you’re feeling stressed, Jesus offers you his peace. If you’re hurting, he reminds you: “I am with you always”—in his word, in the Eucharist, in all of daily life (Matthew 28:20). If you feel inadequate for some task—raising a child, resolving a conflict, breaking a habit, finding work—turn to Jesus. Never, ever forget that God is with you!

“Jesus, I believe that you are ‘God with us.’ Help me to become more open to your presence and your will. I want to be with you always, just as you are with me.”

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion

(Isaiah 7:10-14; Psalm 24:1-6; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-24)

1. In the first reading, Ahaz’ weak response to the Lord speaking to him reminds us that we too can take for granted the wonderful revelation of God’s love for us that we have in the coming of Jesus in the Incarnation. How would you describe your own response to this revelation?

1. Isaiah’s prophecy also reminds us of the role of the Blessed Virgin in the events that have transformed our lives. In what way can her example of faith inspire your own?

1. In the responsorial psalm, we are reminded that the “One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean” will receive a blessing from the Lord. We know that it is only Jesus’ sinlessness and clean heart, and his death on the cross for our sins, that allows us to be blessed by God. What steps can you and your family take during this Advent Season to reinforce the fact that the birth of our Savior was required for his subsequent work of salvation on the Cross?

1. St. Paul tells us in the second reading that we are the “beloved of God.” Do you believe this? Why or why not? Share a time in the past when you have experienced God’s love in a real way?

1. The time has come at last for the prophecies to be fulfilled. In the Gospel, Joseph is presented with a monumental problem: his betrothed is with child. How do your own reactions to the unexpected mirror or contrast with Joseph’s quiet reflection and action?

1. “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid,” the angel says to Joseph. Do you have fears regarding what God is asking in your life? What are they? How do you deal with them?

1. The Lord Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. Knowing that this message is true, how well do you apply the following words that end the meditation? “Take it to heart as God’s message to you today. If you’re singing a happy song, he’s with you in your joy. If you’re feeling stressed, Jesus offers you his peace. If you’re hurting, he reminds you: ‘I am with you always’—in his word, in the Eucharist, in all of daily life (Matthew 28:20). If you feel inadequate for some task—raising a child, resolving a conflict, breaking a habit, finding work—turn to Jesus. Never, ever forget that God is with you!”

1. If you are in a small group, take some time at the end of your meeting to pray for one another that each of you would have a greater experience of Jesus’ presence in your life. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point. In addition, during Advent, your prayers for your family should also ask God to prepare their hearts and open them so that they can receive the gift of his love this Christmas.

 

[Fidelis]

Joseph’s Righteousness
Fr. Jerome Magat

This week’s Gospel passage is one of the most misunderstood narratives in the New Testament. More often than not, readers of this week’s Gospel passage project a Western understanding of the circumstances surrounding Christ’s conception that lead to erroneous conclusions about the Blessed Mother’s pregnancy. The Gospel passage also provides us with insights into Joseph’s righteousness, rooted in a deep desire to do the will of God.

The Gospel passage states that Mary and Joseph were betrothed. In a Jewish context, that meant that Mary and Joseph were married. When Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, Joseph and Mary were already married. When Jewish couples married, they entered a period of betrothal during which the groom would take up to a year to make arrangements to establish a homestead for his bride. During this period, the bride lived with her parents, in anticipation of the day when the couple could live as husband and wife in their own home. This is precisely the context in which Mary conceived Jesus. It is not the case that Jesus was conceived out of wedlock, as if Joseph and Mary merely were engaged. They were married, although not living together at that moment. Of course, Mary maintained her virginity throughout her marriage with Joseph. Nevertheless, it is not accurate to believe that Our Lady was in a crisis pregnancy, insofar as she had conceived Christ out of wedlock and was a single mother.

In any case, Mary still found herself in a precarious situation. Although she was already married to Joseph, she had conceived without his aid. The Gospel passage implies that Joseph knew that such a situation warranted Mary’s death by stoning because the law assumed that she must have conceived by another man since Joseph knew that he had not participated in the child’s conception. The passage then states that Joseph, because he was a righteous man, did not want to expose Mary to the law. Hence, he decided to divorce her quietly, hoping that Mary would not have to pay the penalty for her alleged sin.

There is a pious tradition that Joseph’s motivation for divorcing Mary quietly had less to do with a fear of exposing her to the law and more with a fear growing in Joseph because he had been given knowledge of Mary’s unique status in salvation history. In other words, Joseph may have wanted to divorce Mary because he did not deem himself worthy to be the spouse of the Immaculate Conception. Joseph’s righteousness indicates less of a concern for the law and more of a reverence for Mary and Jesus. Knowing who they were and who he was, Joseph’s instinct was to excuse himself from the care of so holy a mother and child.

As the Church rapidly approaches the celebration of Christmas, may Joseph’s righteousness — his willingness to do God’s will — inspire us to place our lives at the service of the Gospel through our particular vocations.

 

[Fidelis]

Crisis at Christmas – A Reflection on the Gospel for the 4th Sunday of Advent
By: Msgr. Charles Pope

The Gospel today gives us some background for the Christmas feast that we need to take to heart. It speaks to us of a crisis at Christmas. We tend to sentimentalize the Christmas story as we think of the “baby Jesus in the manger.” It is not absolutely wrong to be sentimental about Christmas but we also have to be prayerfully sober about how difficult that first Christmas was and the heroic virtue required of Mary and Joseph in order to cooperate with God in its coming to pass.

Let’s look at the gospel in three stages: Distress, Direction and Decision.

** 1. DISTRESS – **The text of the Gospel says, *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.
*
***The Marriage is off – ***When we read in this text that Mary was found to be with child before Joseph and she were together, we need to understand how devastating and dangerous this situation is. The pregnancy prior to marriage brought forth a real crisis for both families involved in Joseph and Mary’s marriage plans. Quite simply, it put all plans for the marriage permanently off.

Why is this? We read in the text above that Joseph was “a righteous man.” To our ears this sounds akin to saying he “was a good man.” Most of the Fathers of the Church interpret “righteous” here refer generally to his gracious character and virtue. And we surely suppose all this of him. More recent biblical scholarship also includes the notion that to say he was “a righteous man” also means that he was “an observer of the Law.” He would thus do what the law prescribed. And this explains his decision to divorce Mary on account of her apparent lack of virginity prior to the marriage. Here is an example of the Mosaic Law in reference to such a matter:

But if the tokens of virginity were not found in the young woman, then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has wrought folly in Israel by playing the harlot in her father’s house; so you shall purge the evil from the midst of you.(Deut 22:20-21)

This of course is quite extreme to modern ears, but we can see too how far we have come in making light of promiscuity compared to ancient times. No one would argue that such a thing be done today, and rightly so. However this was the landscape that the Law provided Joseph.

What about stoning? It would seem that Jews of the First Century had varying interpretations about whether stoning was required or simply permitted (cf John 8). Joseph, on account of his virtue and patience, looks for and senses some freedom in not exposing Mary to the full effects of the Law (stoning). But it does not seem he can see a way that he can take her into his home. Thus, as a “righteous man” (i.e. follower of the Law) it seems he decides that divorce is surely required, even if stoning is not.

Now this leads us to two important reflections. One about Mary, and one about Joseph…

Continued on the next post…

 

[Fidelis]

Regarding Mary, we can see what a difficult and dangerous position her “yes” (her fiat) to angel placed her. She risked her very life by being found in this conception outside the normal marital act with her husband. WE know that it is by the Holy Spirit she conceives, but her family and Joseph and his family do not know this, or at least cannot verify it. And even if Mary indicated exactly how she conceived, do you think YOU would merely accept such a story? Mary’s fiat placed her in a real danger, culturally speaking and it is a great testimony to her faith and trust in God that she said yes to his plans.

Regarding Joseph we can also see the kind of pressure he would be under to do what the Law and custom required. There is no mention of Joseph’s feelings at this point. But we can assume when Mary was “found to be with child” prior to the couple’s being together in Marriage, the social pressures on him from family to be rid of Mary were likely strong, whatever his feeling or plans for her were.

As we shall see, Joseph too will undertake great risk to obey God. And thus we go to the second stage of the story.
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2. DIRECTION – **The text from the Gospel says, Such was his intention [to divorce] 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.”

Be not afraid – One will note that the principle exhortation of the angel that Joseph “not be afraid” to take Mary as his wife. This exhortation is powerful since fear WAS a very big factor in this whole matter. Joseph had much to fear in taking Mary. Some of the Fathers of the Church indicate that the thing the angel said he should not fear was God’s wrath, since in fact, he would not actually be taking an adulterer or fornicator into his home. One can also imagine however some other fears that also needed to be consoled by the angel. For example, Joseph could easily be rejected by his family for taking Mary in. Likewise neighbors and others could shun him. As a business man Joseph needed a good reputation to be able to use his skills and ply a trade. All of these threats loom if Joseph bucks the law and custom and “brings evil into his house” rather than “purge the evil from the midst” of his house. But the angel directs his not to fear. This will take courageous faith.

Concluded on the next post…

 

[Fidelis]

The angel’s explanation is unusual to say the least. What does it mean to conceive by the Holy Spirit? Not exactly a common occurrence! Would his family buy such an explanation? What of the others in the small town of Nazareth? Yes, people were more spiritual in those days, but it all seems so unusual. Further, Joseph hears all this in a dream. We all know what dreams can be like. They can seem so real, but when we are fully awake we wonder if what we experienced was real at all. Joseph too has to trust that what he was told is real and that he should not fear. God has given him direction. But as is often the case with things spiritual, we have to carefully discern and walk by faith, not by fleshly sight and certitude. Joseph has a decision to make.

** 3. DECISION –** The text from the Gospel says, When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

Now given all that we have reflected upon, we can see the strong faith of Joseph and the kind of trust he had to put in God. He had been told not to be afraid, to rebuke fear. Joseph manfully does this. He makes his decision to obey God whatever the cost. We are given no information on how his family and others in the town may have reacted. However, the fact that the Holy family later settles back in Nazareth indicates that God did come through on his promise that Joseph need not be afraid.

Heroes of Faith! But here again note the crisis of that first Christmas and the powerful faith of Joseph and Mary. Quite literally their reputations were on the line, if not their very lives. They had great sacrifices to make in the wondrous incarnation of our Lord. Quite simply Mary and Joseph are great heroes of the faith. For neither of them was their “yes” easy. It is often hard to obey God rather than men. Praise God that they made their decision and obeyed.

And, as we know their difficulties were not over in the crisis of that first Christmas. There was a badly timed census which required a journey to Bethlehem in the ninth month of Mary’s pregnancy. Imagine walking 70 miles through mountainous terrain in the ninth month! There may or may not have been a donkey, but I doubt riding a donkey in the ninth month is all that comfortable either. Then there was no room in the inn and Jesus had to be born in a smelly animal stable. Shortly thereafter they must flee through the desert to Egypt for Herod sought to kill Jesus.

**Jesus is found in a real Christmas, not a hallmark one. ** The crisis of the first Christmas prefigures the passion. But this where Jesus is found: in the crisis of the first Christmas. You may hope for the perfect Christmas but there is no perfect Christmas. Yet, Jesus will find you where you are – in real life, in the imperfect Christmas where loved ones may have been recently lost and there is grief, where a job has just been lost and there is anxiety, where health is poor or families are experiencing stress and strife. That’s where Jesus will be found, in your real Christmas. A Christmas of Joy, yes, but also of imperfections, even crises. He is there waiting for you to find him, in the real Christmas of your life.

This song is an old African American Spiritual that reflects on the fact that true discipleship isn’t always easy. Joseph and Mary surely experience and exemplify what the these words say:

*I tol’ Jesus it would be all right
If He changed my name

Jesus tol’ me I would have to live humble
If He changed mah name

Jesus tol’ me that the world would be ‘gainst me
If He changed mah name

But I tol’ Jesus it would be all right
If He changed mah name*

 

[Fidelis]

Thanks to all of you who stuck with this thread until the end (all 8 of you, probably ). I probably won’t be starting another thread like this next week (being Christmas, and all) but you will be able to find the weekly study for both Christmas (Midnight Mass) and the Feast of the Holy Family (next Sunday) on my website, linked below. God willing, we we resume in two weeks. Until then may the remainder of your Advent be fruitful and holy, and may you and yours have a blessed and joyful Christmas.

Vince
(Fidelis)

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