We have seen his star and have come to adore him.
4th Sunday of Advent A
Isaiah 7: 10-14 Psalm 23: 1-6. Rv. 7, 10.Romans 1:1-7.
The maiden is with child and will soon bear a son, Emmanuel, “God-is-with-us”
Who shall climb the Lord’s mountain? The man with clean hands and pure heart.
Christ Jesus, descendent of David, proclaimed Son of God.
Mary will give birth to a son, you will name him Jesus, the Saviour of his people.
Matthew 1: 18-24
This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
19 Her husband Joseph, being an upright man and wanting to spare her disgrace, decided to divorce her informally.
20 He had made up his mind to do this when suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit.
21 She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.'
22 Now all this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:
23 Look! the virgin is with child and will give birth to a son whom they will call Immanuel, a name which means 'God-is-with-us'.
24 When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home;
Find Jesus this Christmas
When Jesus was born Mary and Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah were the only ones eagerly expecting his birth. The ‘world’ didn’t know and was too busy. There was no room for him in the inn.
Today it isn’t very different. We have the word ‘Christmas’ but does it mean ‘Jesus’. It’s a festival. It’s a time when the shops do well. We send cards, buy toys and presents. We feast and celebrate, drink and make merry. For many it is a celebration without Christ. He just isn’t considered. There is still no room in the inn.
It is different for those whom God has chosen as his own and have in their turn chosen Him, in Jesus, to be their Saviour and Lord. We are the privileged ones. We look forward to his coming and prepare a place for him ‘in the inn of our hearts’. For us Christmas is real. It is all about Jesus and his being born in our hearts and coming into our lives in a new and powerful way. Every Christmas is different because Jesus comes in a new way to those who look forward to his coming and prepare themselves. Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who can meet and welcome Jesus as Mary and Joseph did? Those with clean hands and pure heart. Are your hands clean? And your heart? In what state is it? Are you fit for Christmas? You have some more days to put your house in order. But know this. Jesus longs to come. He longs to be what his name proclaims, your Saviour from sin, source of your joy and peace so that you may have life and have it to the full. It is for this he comes (John 10:10). Open your heart and “Let the Lord enter. He is the king of glory” – your glory. May the Holy Spirit give you at Christmas the gift of meeting the real Jesus.
Don’t feel guilty about celebrating. Jesus often went to parties – he felt the convivial atmosphere was a way to touch people’s hearts. His apostolate was characterized by table fellowship so much that his enemies called him ‘a glutton and a drunkard’. But Jesus didn’t just stay with his own. He included everyone – not only the unloved but also the unloving. The ones who didn’t deserve love were the ones who needed his love most. We must follow his example. Let us celebrate Christmas, but make Christmas for someone else too – those deprived of love. You still have time to reach out. Don’t close the door ‘of your inn’. Jesus is still outside: “I was a stranger and you welcomed me into your home – take possession of the Kingdom”
Father May I welcome Jesus into my heart this Christmas and stretch my hands to him in those who need my love.
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