4th Sunday of Advent

‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us."’

Brothers & sisters,

Happy 4th Sunday of Advent! Christmas is almost here, and it’s great to experience the hope and joy of this liturgical season. We’ve seen in these weeks how the Father prepared his people to receive the Son.

He sent the prophets, like Isaiah, who in the 1st reading tells the speaks of the sign that God will send: “the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us."’

What a beautiful name, and what a beautiful mystery! “God is with us.” We could just stop here. Isn’t this what we most desire? What an amazing God, who considered us so precious that He would become one of us, in order to show us his love, in order to be with us.

The angel that appeared to Joseph in the dream also made mention that the boy will be named “Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Not only is He “God with us.” He is also the God who saves us.

In this last week of Advent, I invite you to take a moment to look inside yourself. Do you desire to experience that “God is with you”? Do you discover the need for a “God who saves you”? Do you believe this be to be true? That God so loved you and each person to send his Son to “be with us and save us.”  

Let us allow ourselves to be touched as the shepherds and the wise men who made the journey to visit the God who became a child. Let us have eyes to see the signs of God’s love and presence in our own lives here and now. And let us shout with the angels at Christmas: “Emmanuel, God is with us!”

Patrick Travers