Fourth Sunday of Advent Year A 2022

Title

God’s Obscure but Clear Plan

Outline

We try hard to find our place in God’s plan

It may be our collective place - what God is doing now with the USA or with the West

It may be our individual place - what God’s purposes and plans are in our lives, including why this happened or what the outcome of our present situation will be.

Of course, some claim that there is no plan - just chance and time coming together, that life is not meaningful in any way, although some make a leap of faith into an irrational mystical or collective meaning, such as the good of the human race.

We realize that the Bible is at root a narrative, not a set of spiritual teachings, for there is a Planner and a plan, a Creator and a purpose.

But at times it is like one of my morning prayers when I pray that God and his agents will blind the demons and other dark forces to the identities and activities of me and my family so they will not be able to retaliate.

That seeing but not seeing is part of our texts today - one has to see the fulfillment to understand the sign.

Isaiah’s prophecy seems straightforward

Ahaz is facing the prospect of an invasion by a northern alliance, and the prophet states that it will not succeed.

Isaiah invites Ahaz to ask for a divine sign, but Ahaz does not trust God and refuses - Isaiah himself gives a sign.

A young woman of marriageable age will conceive and give birth to a son (any listener would have thought, yes, perhaps she is already engaged and about to be married) and call that son Immanuel, perhaps out of faith that God was with the nation. By the time the child is weaned, which would mean in about 3 years (+/-), the rulers of the northern alliance would be gone and soft, rich food would be available from outside the city. (Although there is bad news too, the king of Assyria would be the reason.)

Now there are hints that there is more than meets the eye, for the prophecy is addressed to the House of David, which reminds one of 2 Sam 7:11 and the promise of the ongoing nature of the Davidic House, but Isaiah does not say that either the young woman or her husband would be of the Davidic line and Ahaz already had sons.

Now, after the fall of the House of David, the hidden meaning becomes clear.

First, the Greek translators of Isaiah 7 use parthenos, virgin, to translate 'alma. This changes the emphasis.

Second, Joseph, a poor man of the obscure Davidic line, marries a young woman, but before the consummation, that is, while she was still a parthenos, he discovers that she is pregnant. He has no idea that the Holy Spirit is involved.

Joseph is righteous, so he cannot overlook this transgression, since that would bring God’s judgment, and yet he is merciful and so decides on the most merciful type of divorce.

In a dream an angel says to Joseph, “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.” The Davidic concept is named and then the instruction not to fear taking Mary into his house - initially not to fear divine judgment for bringing unrighteousness into his house and after this angelic word not to fear divine presence - he would not have thought ark of the covenant, but that would be an appropriate image.

But the child is not to be named Immanuel but Jesus, for the stress is on the salvation of Israel. It is only on looking back that Matthew’s tradition uses the name Immanuel.

Joseph probably did not connect the dots - he did not even have all the dots - but he has enough to act and he is righteous: “When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.” That immediate positive response is more like Mary’s fiat than like Ahaz’s seemingly pious “I will not ask for a sign.”

Sisters, the lesson of all this is clear

God is working providentially in history and he has a plan: he is not just responding to what happens.

God’s plan and even his prophetic revelations are usually obscure, often deliberately hidden, with just enough being clear to give hope and direction in the immediate situation.

The veil on the plan may be partially lifted after significant reflection in the light of Scripture and tradition and our experience with God. But we should not think that we know the full picture. Perhaps it is only that the demonic cannot interfere with those aspects of the plan now.

Finally, and most importantly, our response should be to trust the revelation we do have and act accordingly, to “get up early in the morning” and immediately do as per instructions, whether we understand them or not.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 12-18-2022: Fourth Sunday of Advent

FIRST READING

Isaiah 7:10–14

10 Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz: 11 Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as Sheol, or high as the sky! 12 But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!” 13 Then he said: Listen, house of David! Is it not enough that you weary human beings? Must you also weary my God? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign; the young woman, pregnant and about to bear a son, shall name him Emmanuel.

Catholic Daily Readings 12-18-2022: Fourth Sunday of Advent

RESPONSE

Psalm 24:7c, 10b

7 Lift up your heads, O gates;

be lifted, you ancient portals,

that the king of glory may enter.

10 Who is this king of glory?

The LORD of hosts, he is the king of glory.

Selah

PSALM

Psalm 24:1–6

1 A psalm of David.

The earth is the LORD’s and all it holds,

the world and those who dwell in it.

2 For he founded it on the seas,

established it over the rivers.

3 Who may go up the mountain of the LORD?

Who can stand in his holy place?

4 “The clean of hand and pure of heart,

who has not given his soul to useless things,

what is vain.

5 He will receive blessings from the LORD,

and justice from his saving God.

6 Such is the generation that seeks him,

that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.”

Selah

Catholic Daily Readings 12-18-2022: Fourth Sunday of Advent

SECOND READING

Romans 1:1–7

CHAPTER 1

1 Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh, 4 but established as Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 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, 6 among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ; 7 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.

Catholic Daily Readings 12-18-2022: Fourth Sunday of Advent

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Matthew 1:23

23  “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel,”

which means “God is with us.”

GOSPEL

Matthew 1:18–24

18 Now 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. 19 Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. 20 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. 21 She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

23  “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel,”

which means “God is with us.” 24 When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 12-18-2022: Fourth Sunday of Advent

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2022 | ADVENT

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

YEAR A | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Isaiah 7:10–14

Response Psalm 24:7c, 10b

Psalm Psalm 24:1–6

Second Reading Romans 1:1–7

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 1:23

Gospel Matthew 1:18–24

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