Jesus Is The Sign Of God’s Love For Us
1. Emmanuel: God With Us
2. A Child, Sign of Hope
Introduction
1. Emmanuel: God with Us
God is with us. God is among us. God is one of us in Jesus. God in human form is alive among us and he comes to make us really and fully human the way God intended and wants us to be fully and perfectly human. Here is Jesus, our model of deep humanity. We have only to look at him and to let him shape and form us by his Spirit. Then we will be fully and thoroughly the sons and daughters of our loving God. This is the beautiful message of today. Look at Jesus here among us. Let his Word and his Eucharist transform us, that we may become blood of his blood.
2. A Child, Sign of Hope
When parents, relatives and friends are expecting the birth of a child, they say that they are waiting for the “happy event.” The birth of a child is always a sign and a message of hope, for here is new life coming, here is a future. This is God’s sign to us too: here comes hope for us, there is a future, for God is with us in Jesus. It will be a happy event for us if we accept Jesus with joy and faith, like Joseph and Mary.
First Reading: His Name: God-With-Us
In a national emergency, God gives a sign that he will save his people: a young woman will give birth to a son whose name means: “God is with us.” The birth of a child is made the sign of hope.
1 Reading: Isaiah 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.
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.
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.
Second Reading: Jesus, Son of God and Descendant of David
Paul professes his faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Saviour announced by the prophets; he is man, for he is a descendant of David; he is God’s Son and our risen Lord, to whom we belong.
2 Reading: Romans 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.
Alleluia: Matthew 1:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Jesus Is Our God-with-us
Matthew presents the son to be born of Mary as the promised “God-with-us,” for he is David’s son through Joseph, his legal foster-father, and born to the Virgin Mary of the Holy Spirit.
Gospel: Matthew 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.
Commentary
Signs are very important. In the same way we understand spoken language, signs do provide powerful messages and sometimes they communicate even more than words do. A person in love waits for a sign of love of his or her beloved. A son whose parent is ill seeks signs to give him hopes of life. A man walking through the desert keeps his eyes open for signs of water or life. Give me a sign, we tell God many times.
here are people who see signs of God in things that are not really such signs; in other words, they might see a sign in something that is clearly the opposite of what God may want. We seek signs, symbols, lights to show us where to go or where we are heading to; and sometimes this search may even become an escape from the need to make a decision. I expect God to give me a sign about what I should do with my life and, since I don’t see any, I don’t do what, deep in my heart, I feel should be done.
Perhaps what I should see is that the sign is precisely the thirst or desire of the heart, the inclination to doing something in the service of others.
Today the readings tell us that the sign, the only sign that will show all our paths is the coming of Jesus into the world. The Son of God becomes a man. That should be enough to show us all the ways leading to Jesus; because, if his life was one of self-giving to God and fulfilling of God’s will, our life should be the same; if his life was one of generous service, such should be ours; if his life was one of forgiveness and healing, so should ours. We don’t need any more signs: Jesus, who comes into the world, is our way, truth and life. And this is the week. The infant Jesus is at the door!
Blessing
In a few days—if all this has not yet begun—
there will be the light
of Christmas trees and stars
and the giving of gifts
to friends and relatives.
Let these get their meaning
in the light of God’s greatest light
and God’s greatest gift to us:
his own Son Jesus Christ
as our God with us.
In his goodness, may God bless you all:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Go in peace and let Jesus the Lord live among you.
R/ Thanks be to God.
Yes, ‘Emmanuel God with us’. He lives in the Eucharist, When we receive him in communions, he comes straight into our lives. The celebration of Christmas is the reawakening of the reality that God is indeed with us. As he say, In Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you, I am your helper. ”
It is only a Superior or Powerful person we look up to for help when in hard and challenging situations. And so we look up to Emmanuel our new born king to help us in the growing hopelessness and worrisome situations in our individual lives and our Country. Come Lord, do not delay.
Merry Christmas and Prosperous New year.