Fourth Sunday of Advent

Readings of the Day

In today’s Gospel from Saint Matthew, we hear the familiar story of Jesus’ birth from the perspective of Saint Joseph, who upon finding out that his betrothed wife is pregnant with a child not his own, out of righteousness and mercy seeks to divorce Mary quietly so as not to expose her to public shame or even stoning. It is only after an angel appears to him that Joseph – like Mary – says “Yes” to God and risks shame and scandal to take Mary as his wife and raise her son as his own.

At the conclusion of this familiar narrative, Saint Matthew makes a critically important theological statement: all of these events took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophets that “a virgin would conceive and bear a son, and they would name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with Us.’”

Hearing these words from Saint Matthew reminds me of another critical passage in his gospel – the 25^th chapter – where Jesus tells his disciples that when they “feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the imprisoned” that “God is with them” when they do this “for one of the least of these brothers and sisters.”

Since the very beginning, it has been the work of the Church and its charitable agencies to be Emmanuel – God’s saving presence – to the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and the imprisoned. On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, let us pray that we might like Saint Joseph say “Yes” and act with righteousness and mercy, and dedicate ourselves to be Emmanuel to all those in need.   

Tom Dobbins Jr. is the Justice and Peace Coordinator of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, a Producer for the “JustLove” radio broadcast on Sirius/XM’s Catholic Channel, and the Chair Emeritus of the Roundtable Association of Catholic Diocesan Social Action Directors. 

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