READ 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.
UNDERSTAND by Father Greg Friedman, OFM A former Franciscan missionary in the Philippines once told me that when he traveled from mission to mission the people would not allow him to travel alone. They would ask, “Who is your companion?” Filipino culture, my friend said, is very relational—it values people being together, doing things together—even something as simple as traveling from place to place. American culture on the other hand values independence and rugged individualism. But there are dangers when we take such an attitude to the extreme. Like the Filipino culture, today’s Scripture readings offer us a healthy alternative. In both the first reading and the Gospel, we hear the word Emmanuel—God with us. Isaiah the prophet warns King Ahaz not to turn his back on God’s intervention on behalf of the people; God wants to “be with us.” That divine intervention becomes personal in Jesus Christ, as the very human story of Joseph and Mary in Matthew’s Gospel makes clear. That presence of God with us is at the very heart of the Christmas celebration. At Christmastime we naturally turn to one another at work, at home, and even on the street to wish greetings of peace and happiness. But there are also those who feel alone or abandoned.
The central message of this season is Emmanuel--“God with us.” Let’s be generous in sharing God’s gift of relationship with others.
DISCUSS by Father Dan Kroger, OFM • What was the message the Lord gave to King Ahaz, in the first reading (Isaiah 7: 10-14)? How did Ahaz respond to that message from God? What was the sign that Lord gave to the “house of David?” Who was to be called Emmanuel? What does that name mean? • In the second reading (Romans 1:1-7), Paul calls himself “a slave of Christ Jesus” set apart for the gospel of God. What does Paul see himself sent to do? Who are the Gentiles to whom Paul was sent? What does he wish for them? • The Gospel gives a few facts about the birth of Jesus Christ. Here are some questions about the facts. What does it mean that “Mary was betrothed to Joseph?” The reading says that Mary was going to have a baby and Joseph was worried about what to do. What happened to Joseph in a dream, where an angel of God told him to go ahead and take Mary to his house? What name was Joseph told to give to her child? What does that name mean? What name did the angel say “they would give to the child?” Does the Gospel reading explain what that name (Emmanuel) means? Answer: “God is with us.”
ACT by Susan Hines-Brigger • What do you think the angel that appeared to Joseph looked like? Draw a picture of that angel. Or you can make an angel to hang on your tree. There are lots of angel crafts you can find online. • The Gospel tells the story of Jesus' birth. Ask your parents to share the story of how they found out they were pregnant with you and how it made them feel.