The 4th Sunday of Advent | Sunday 18 December 2022

Today is Sunday the 18th of December, in the third week of Advent.
Salt of the Sound sings, ‘Gabriel’s Message’.


The angel Gabriel from heaven came
His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame
"All hail!" said he, "Thou lowly maiden Mary
Most highly favoured lady!"
Gloria!

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew.


Matthew 1:18-24

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel’,
which means, ‘God is with us.’ When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife.

The feast to which Advent points is just a week away now, and the scriptures become ever richer. Here are some questions that might assist you to pray them.

Can you imagine what Joseph felt when he discovered that his fiancée was pregnant, and not by him? What would you have done?

What is Joseph’s response to the angel in a dream?

What does “Emmanuel” mean? Does this help us to follow the life of Jesus? And might this idea guide us as we read Matthew’s gospel this year?

Now listen as the passage is read to you once more. Is there one word or one phrase in it that really speaks to you?

Finally, at the end of this time, see if you can bring your scattered thoughts together and turn them into a prayer to God.

O Wisdom
Lord and Ruler
Root of Jesse
Key of David
Rising Sun
King of the Nations
Emmanuel
Come, Lord Jesus