Emmanuel, God With Us

A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, December 18th, 2022:
​Fourth Sunday of Advent

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Matthew
1.18-24 
The birth of Jesus the Christ 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 fulfill 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.

In this season, we are celebrating the great mystery of Emmanuel – God present here with us. “The birth of Jesus the Christ took place in this way.” How incredible it is that we know when God was born. How He was born. Who He was born to, of what family, in which town, during which era. The Gospels situate the story of Christ’s birth within the historical events that surround it – the star that arose, the census done by the Romans, Herod’s killing of the children. These events are so familiar to us as part of this great story of Jesus’ birth that we can forget that they were real historical events. The happenings of Jesus’ life were well documented, remembered, and passed down.

This is the great mystery of Christmas: that God chose to come down to dwell among us. At Easter, we celebrate Christ’s suffering and resurrection, His willingness to die to redeem each of us. The mystery of Christmas is quieter. God is willing to be the least among us, a child who is defenceless. Born to a family of no great means or stature, in a small town. Ready to enter into the daily indignities of human existence, the realities of needing, of dependency, of pain and sorrow. Ready to experience the daily joys of human existence, as well: connection, love, work and wonder and curiosity. 

Entering into this human experience, He raises the dignity of our human condition. Not only has God made us in His image, but He was willing to become one of us, truly human in every way, while remaining truly divine. What a strange God this must be. How quietly and obscurely He comes to work unimaginable changes on the world. I believe that He often works the same way in our own times. In silence, in stillness, in patience, He comes. To those who are obscure, the little ones, the poor ones. May we bring the same awe and wonder as we feel at His birth to each encounter with the other where He is present. 




Sr. Gemma

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