Fourth Sunday of Advent (2)

God’s work not ours

thank goodness

barely predict tomorrow

easily slide into:

selfishness

sloth

pleasure worship

What needed Mary’s response.

the fiat

let it be done unto me

Gospel today

Joseph about make big mistake

even very righteous

get seriously punished

but chooses quietly not bring her

doesnt seek revenge

still big mistake,

tho com sense wouldnt show

trying do his will

God intervenes for Joseph fiat

Joseph’s fiat

Greater Joseph fiat

Mary

quiet virgin

simple turned to God

when God reveals wild plan: ‘let it be done according’

simple fiat comes salvation of all

Not yet great

queen

rich person

well connected socialite

Yet in fiat, God’s work makes her empress of cosmos

Opposite from Joseph, FAR opposite from Mary

trying to work out all ends

short amount of time

if not about fiat

how horrific

might not realize in adolescent self assurance

with distraction life

how hopeless life is w/o God,

how great salvation comes from him

he works out what best for us

like parent navigating affairs of a child too young to even hope plan future

all must do is fiat daily

For us

fiat in our life both light burden Christ talks of, and the narrow way cross few find

its not saying ‘will be done’

its holding that

If mortal sin, we can hardly honestly say will be done

but even if delt that, still venial barriers

we say not yet:

they will be done, but not b4:

check my phone

eat this meal

address this fear of mine

God’s work not ours

turn to God closer to us than we our to self

honestly mean fiat

let him guide you to new heights

for his hand is ACTIVE HERE NOW, not some distant abstraction

now is the hour

Me

Maybe about getting people punished (compared to St. Joe)

Commentators

Pitre

Gospel

1st century

considered husband when ‘betrothed’

more than engagement but legal married’

finalization (and no relations until then) by ceremonial taking into home

CCC 497 virgin b/c God hand and beyond human understanding

1st reading Is7

northern teamed up and threaten attack south

Hebrew ‘Halmah’ - ‘maiden’

septuagint understands this thus ‘virgin’

preliminary fulfilment in Hezekiah

but Is 9 suggests goes well beyond Hezekiah

and clearly refers to as God, rule forever, and in later days