December 21, 2025・4th Sunday of Advent (A)

Isaiah 7.10-14・Psalm 24.3+4,5+6,8+10・ Romans 1.1-7 ・Matthew 1.18-24

Today is 4^th Sunday of Advent and we are truly waiting so joyfully to celebrate Christ`s birth again. It is just that many of us have been either advancing Christmas celebrations among neighbors, friends, relatives and families, or may be delaying because of work-related schedule and somehow planning to have a two-in-one celebration of Christmas and New Year. Following our Church calendar year, we only have 4 days more to go before Christmas, and so we soon end our Advent recollection.  

Today`s liturgical readings invite us to focus a little more on understanding God`s central message about Christ`s birth. Today`s readings narrate how Christ`s nativity came about considering its long-range preparation with signs given through the prophets and God`s messengers, and with people called towards its realization.  Isaiah in our first reading today speaks of a sign; a virgin shall bear a son named Emmanuel, in which this name means “God is with us.” This in fact, and is basically what motivates us to “always” celebrate Christ`s birth. We came to understand better God`s presence among us in Christ`s birth. Paul in his letter to the Romans (second reading) shared the Good News of salvation and reminded the early Christians about Jesus who was promised long time ago.  

In the Gospel Reading, We can see then Joseph’s serious dilemma about accepting Mary as his lawful wife and therefore legally accepting Jesus as his son. More than an ordinary person and therefore a righteous man, Joseph has sufficiently considered what the Mosaic law says and planned to quietly break off the engagement. Breaking off the engagement quietly is indeed an act of compassion on his part. However, we have Joseph who listens to God and chooses to stay with Mary. The angel appears to him telling him to go through with the marriage well convinced that the child has been conceived by the power of God’s Spirit. Let us well reflect in here about the vocation of Joseph. We are at the same time invited to always consider many and different circumstances in our present daily living. When faced with dilemmas either moral and spiritual, let us all be considerate, compassionate, forgiving and truly loving.