Posted: 12/20/2013 3:41:04 AM EDT
Fourth Sunday of Advent Lectionary: 10 Reading 1 IS 7:10-14 The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying: Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as the sky! But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!” Then Isaiah said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary people, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel. Responsorial Psalm PS 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 R. (7c and 10b) Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory. The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it. For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory. Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD? or who may stand in his holy place? One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain. R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, a reward from God his savior. Such is the race that seeks for him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob. R. Let the Lord enter; he is king of glory. Reading 2 ROM 1:1-7 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. Gospel MT 1:18-24 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. Gospel Reading: *Three weeks ago, we heard the Annunciation as the gospel reading for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception; we now hear about Joseph and his reaction to the news. *Knowing he was not the father of the child being carried by Mary (that, in fact, she had conceived of the Holy Spirit; see verse 18), but not wanting to subject her to the harsh Jewish penalties for adultery (Deuteronomy 24:1-4, 22:20-23), Joseph planned to pursue the milder option of divorcing her quietly. *He is prevented from doing so by an angel who appears to him in a dream. The angel, addressing him as “son of David” reminds him of his lineage in the house of King David through whom the promised Messiah would come (2 Samuel 7:12). *Thus the word of the prophet Isaiah (verses 22-23; Isaiah 7:14) was fulfilled: that Jesus would be born of the house of David, Mary is the Virgin who will give birth to him, and that his conception is miraculous, through the Spirit of God. Jesus is Emmanuel, a name which means “God is with us.” Jesus is the God who is always with us: in his first Advent (John 1:1, 14), until the Second Advent (Matthew 28:20), and forever in eternity (Revelation 21:3-4). QUESTIONS: +In the 1st reading, King Ahaz was insincere in not wanting a sign from God. But if God chose to give you a sign, would you accept it—even if meant changing your life because of it? +In the 2nd reading in verses 2—4, where does St. Paul say the Gospel message originated? What two things does he affirm about Jesus? How do these all relate to the mystery of his coming into the world that we will celebrate next week at Christmas? +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? Bible Study--Fourth Sunday of Advent--Cycle A Closing Prayer Catechism of the Catholic Church: §§ 430, 437, 452, 486, 497, 1846, 2666 
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