IMMANUEL: GOD WITH US
Immanuel: God with us is the most beautiful and comforting theme of the Advent and Christmas seasons. The intervention of God in human history through Christ Jesus, after so many seasons of sins and failure, was a life-changing moment. Our lives, existence and history were changed forever. Indeed, it was a moment of encounter when God redirected and reformulated everything about us, our relationship with Him and with one another.
GREAT THINGS HAPPEN WHEN GOD MIXES WITH US
On this fourth and last Sunday of Advent before Christmas, the summary of the celebration could be captioned by the song: GREAT THINGS HAPPEN WHEN GOD MIXES WITH US”. This great and classical song by Carey Landry & Carol Jean Kinghorn best expressed the readings of today. It goes this way…
Great things happen when God mixes with us. 2x
Great and beautiful, wonderful things.
Great things happen when God mixes with us.
1. Some find life, some find peace, some people even find joy. Some see things as they never could before, and some people find that they can now begin to trust.
2. Some find health, some find hope, some people even find joy. Some see themselves as they could before and some people find that they can now begin to live.
3. Some find peace, some are disturbed; some people even find joy. Some see their lives as they never could before and some people find that they can now begin to change.
Indeed, the moment of encounter with God and with one another is life-changing forever.
Lord, in these last few days of Advent, of Wait, as preparation and anticipation begin to mount, May God’s gifts, graces, and blessings of the Season of Wait enrich all our seasons of life. Amen. And may our presence and daily encounter with each other be joyful. Amen!
OUR THEME
The readings on this Fourth (and last) Sunday of Advent describe how God dramatically and lovingly intervenes in human history when “there is no way out.” Of course, the theme of our celebration is God’s infinite and unfailing love for us.
Today, the Church invites us to reflect on the identity of Jesus as the “God-with-us” – Immanuel. Equally, the story of the Virgin Birth is at the heart of our Christmas celebrations. Hence, today’s readings focus on the story of the Virgin Birth.
FIRST READING: ISAIAH 7:10-14
The prophecy about “Emmanuel — God with us” invites king Ahaz to trust in God. God gives a sign through the prophet Isaiah to King Ahaz of Judah: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel”
Therefore, the prophet Isaiah assures us of this great love with a sign of the Virgin with a child who will be called: Immanuel-God is us!
SECOND READING: ROMANS 1:1-7
This introduction to Paul’s major epistle gives the earliest Christian beliefs about Jesus Christ, the expected Messiah. Hence, Paul in Romans 1:1-7 reminds those affiliated to the promise of God, how this was realized in Christ Jesus of whom they received the Spirit of holiness; the obedience of faith and the fullness of grace and love.
For Paul, the second reading, also asserts that Jesus is a descendant of David and thus the Messiah, being: “descended from David according to the flesh”.
THE GOSPEL: MATTHEW 1:18-24
The gospel story of Matthew 1:18-24 demonstrated how God’s intervention in human history and predicament changed an impossibility to possibility, especially where there seems to be no way out. The angel’s visit changes everything in Mary and Joseph’s life.
In the gospel, God reveals the virginal conception of Jesus to the just man, Joseph. It also emphasises Joseph’s clarity in doing the will of God without doubt or hesitance or resistance.
Furthermore, in the gospel reading (Mt. 1:18-24), the evangelist presented Christ as the fulfilment of the Emmanuel Prophecy which Isaiah recorded in the first reading (Is. 7:10-14).
THE PROMISE: IMMANUEL
A fuller kind of faith would see us relying on God’s invisible, helping presence every time and everywhere. It is not just in those moments when human support fails us. Real faith accepts the reality of God in every moment of life. It sees God as a dimension of all our experience, literally, the Emmanu-El: God-with-us.
The promise that God is with us was not for Isaiah’s time only. It is for our own. Even now the sign of that continuing presence is a young woman and her child: the Virgin Mary and her son Jesus.
For Joseph, the unexpected pregnancy of Mary was not a sign to confirm his trust either in her or God. It was a contradictory sign, yet it is a fulfilment of the prophetic promise of many centuries.
However, in the hours of his darkness, Joseph found the enlightening Spirit of God, the Spirit who teaches us not to judge by what our eyes see or by what our ears hear (cf. Is 11:3.)
This gospel shows us that the signs God gives are not always the ones we would choose for ourselves. He gives signs for those who are willing to take on the darkness of doubt with openness and sincerity of heart.
WHAT CAN A NAME TELL US ABOUT A PARTICULAR PERSON?
Not much, usually. Names like Helen, Paula, Sharon or Jason are useful for distinguishing various members of a family, but they don’t describe the people themselves. With some Biblical names, it is different. For instance, Abraham meant “Father of a great people” (Gen. 17:5) and Moses meant “Rescued from the Waters” (Ex. 2:10.)
Above all, our blessed Lord has names which are full of meaning. “Jesus” means “God saves,” “Christ” means “God’s Anointed Messiah” and the name “Emmanuel” in today’s Gospel, means “God in our midst.”
What is the meaning of your name and how does it relate to your personality and character as a person and a Christian?
FRUITS OF OUR REFLECTION
1. In the gospel God reveals the virginal conception of Jesus to the just man, Joseph.
2. It also emphasises Joseph’s clarity in doing the will of God without doubt or hesitance or resistance.
3. Like Joseph, we need to trust in God, listen to Him and be faithful.
4. We need to experience Emmanuel in our lives and change the world
5. Do we have any gift for our “Birthday Boy: Jesus Christ?
6. Let us be a Christmas gift to God by disposing ourselves to do his hard will and becoming instruments in his hands as Joseph did.
7. We can also be gifts of healing, faith, peace and tranquillity to others this Christmas like Joseph was to Mary.
OUR PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, we need faith to believe in Immanuel: a God that is always present with us amidst difficulties, problems, pains and disappointments of life. Come Lord Jesus to us with the gifts of joy, peace, love and grace as we await your coming. And may your coming fill us with every grace and blessing. Maranatha! Amen!
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