“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.” Those are the opening words to the Gospel for the Fourth Sunday in Advent this year. It is the continuation of the account of the annunciation to Mary. This time, we are focused on Joseph. It is a familiar story but one in which we need to be reminded. The mission of Jesus is revealed to the world at his nativity—what the Church has come to term, Christmas. Christmas literally means, Christ’s mission, i.e. the mission of the Anointed One of God. But prior to the blessed event of Christ’s birth came a series of events that involve his human parents: the aforementioned annunciation by the angel Gabriel to Mary, Jospeh’s directive by the angel in a dream, and the evangelist’s reminder that all this took place to fulfill the prophecy.
These final days of Advent can get overshadowed by Christmas. Yet the Church reminds us that we are still preparing. Our hearts are anxious for the celebration—as indeed they should be—but they are also anticipating Christ’s return. We are as anxious as Mary and Joseph, unsure of what is unfolding, concerned about what people around us think, busying ourselves with preparations we can understand yet wondering if there is something more important that we should be doing.
In a few days, ready or not, we celebrate the coming of our salvation. For many reasons, some people have already had their gatherings to celebrate. For others, it may come during the Christmas season. Family and friends and the whole Church community are important elements in out celebration of the loving grace God bestowed on the world though the incarnation. But equally important is the fact that both Mary and Joseph received the news of Jesus by an angel alone. Each prepared her or his own heart for so great a mystery. May these last few days of Advent allow us time to welcome Our Lord in the most personal way.
