Sunday Gospel Reflections: Imperfect circumstances
Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. (Matthew 1:18)
This introduction leaves us waiting in expectation of a story that will leave us mesmerized. We anticipate some logical explanation about the Incarnation. But this does not happen!
Instead, we learn how our God came into the world under less than perfect circumstances: a virgin with child, a couple betrothed but not yet living together, a righteous man named Joseph, an angel with a message. At the end of all of this we have the unthinkable: it all works out!
Too often we waste energy concentrating on how our own circumstances are not as we would have them be, instead of focusing our faith on discerning how God chooses them to be. If the miracle of Jesus’ birth came about in less than perfect circumstances and still resulted in mankind’s salvation, why should we doubt that good can come from our own imperfect circumstances?
— Fr. Paul J. Fasano
Isaiah 7:10-14
Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Romans 1:1-7
Matthew 1:18-24
