This is how Jesus Christ was generated: his mother Mary, being betrothed to Joseph, before they went to live together, found herself pregnant by the work of the Holy Spirit. Joseph of her husband of her, since he was a just man and did not want to accuse her publicly, he thought of repudiating her in secret.
However, while he was considering these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said to him: «Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary, your wife with you. In fact the child that is generated in her comes from the Holy Spirit; she will give birth to a son and you will call him Jesus: in fact he will save his people from their sins ».
All this happened to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son: he will be given the name Emmanuel”, which means “God with us”.
When he awoke from sleep, Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took his bride with him. (Mt 1:18-24)
Today, December 18, the Church reaches the Fourth Sunday of Advent (year A, liturgical color purple).
To comment on the Gospel of the Holy Mass is don Cosimo Monopolimilitary chaplain for the Italian Army in Avellino.
Love, life, values, spirituality are contained in his reflection for “Splinters of Light, thoughts on the festive Gospels”, a column that wants to be a tender caress for all souls in this valley of exile. Thoughts and words that are like sparks to ignite the reasons for hope. Here it is, the comment.
Today, the last Sunday of Advent, we place ourselves on the threshold of Christmas and, in view of the birth of the Child Jesus, the liturgy prepares us by making us turn our gaze to the mother of the unborn child with the attitude of the righteous Joseph, who will give legal guarantee to the Davidic dynasty for the Son of God.
God shows us the supreme sign of his love. In the name of fidelity to his people, he chooses to place his abode among us, but he needs our consent: he asks us to welcome him. Like Joseph and Mary we are invited to open wide our arms towards the Lord who comes to enlighten all humanity.
Jesus Christ is born of Mary, but is also generated by the obedience of faith of Joseph, her husband. While on the one hand we are accompanied to the cave of the Child by the austere John the Baptist, on the other there is Saint Joseph, a real man, who suffers, questions himself, asks himself a thousand human whys. But he is also a man of humble, biblical faith, enlightened and supported by the word of the prophets, an obedient faith; his role is made essential in the realization of God’s plan. To meet Jesus and give him to the world, this is the attitude to adopt: to do what God asks.
Through Joseph’s dream we are enlightened about who Jesus Christ is and it is the condition for understanding the meaning of Christmas, even if the birth of the Redeemer remains a mystery. To share our human condition, the Son of God became man. It is the central event of the history of salvation, which concerns all of humanity. It is the mystery of God’s love for man, which in these days leads us to contemplation, silence, amazement.
The prophet Isaiah addresses Ahaz, king of Judah, to induce him to trust in God rather than in military alliances in the fight against enemies. As a sign, she announces the birth of a son who will be the guarantee of the salvation of the entire nation, a figure of the true Messiah who will be born of the Virgin Mary. In this wake, Saint Paul also writes to the Christians of Rome, announcing the gratuitousness of the salvation wrought by Jesus Christ, Son of God by nature from eternity and who became the son of David in history, of the gift of salvation that God has given us.
The Virgin is the one who gives us Jesus, endless peace and light of the earth. May the Sprout of David find our heart willing to welcome it, as the most pure heart of Mary welcomed it; may she teach us to appreciate the gift of the true life of Jesus, who came to redeem our souls and help us to always remain open and docile to the action of the Spirit to recognize God’s will.
Shards of light: thoughts on the festive Gospels of Don Cosimo Monopoli