Gospel Reflection Dec 21 – Fr. Fox
Sunday, December 21
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Matthew 1: 18-24
Gospel:
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.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
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.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
Gospel Reflection:
One thing that always bothered me when I was growing up comes directly from our Gospel passage this weekend. It never made sense to me that if Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be named Emmanuel, but the angel that visited Joseph told him to name Mary’s child Jesus, how could Jesus be the Messiah? He didn’t fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy!
The explanation for this seemingly contradictory biblical oopsy is actually a great source of our faith, not a detractor from it. It revolves around how ancient Israelis viewed the purpose and meaning of names. The naming of a child was extraordinarily significant. It reflected the child’s familial tribe and presumed mission in life, or was one of thanksgiving to God for the child. To illustrate this, let us look at the Sons of Zebedee, James and John, two of Christ’s Apostles.
James’ name is derived from the Hebrew name Ya’akov, which is more commonly known in English as Jacob. The meaning of Ya’akov is often understood as “one who follows,” stemming from the biblical account of Jacob in the Old Testament, who was born holding the heel of his twin brother Esau. Unbeknownst to Zebedee, James would become a follower of Christ when he was born. This points to a name reflective of his mission in life. The name John is translated as Yochanan, which means “God is gracious.” This name is one of thanksgiving because through the grace of God, Zebedee was blessed with a second son.
The name Jesus is derived from the Hebrew name Yeshua, a contraction of Yehoshua, meaning “Yahweh is salvation.” Yahweh is the sacred name for God revealed in the Old Testament (Yeh), and the root word “Yasha” (oshua) means “to save.” Therefore, the name Jesus encapsulated His mission as the Savior who saves humanity from sin. By bearing this name, Jesus’ mission on earth is revealed.
Emmanuel means “God with us.” Since no man (except Jesus) would ever be considered to have the mission of being God, Emmanuel has more of a connotation of thanksgiving; thanksgiving to God and that He must be with us because of the blessing of this child. Jesus is literally God with us, and this reality focuses on His identity rather than on appreciation. This would seem misleading, and Jesus’ identity was to remain secret until the fulfillment of His earthly mission of teaching. The sacrifice of God made man, and the offering of Himself as the lamb of God would come only after showing the world the love and compassion of Jesus, as God, and as healer, forgiver of sins, and the calling of His Apostles, who would help Jesus establish His earthly Church.
Jesus’ identity and mission are both reflected in the names Emmanuel and Yeshua. We know Him as both, and both names complement each other. Though He was not known as Emmanuel during His earthly life, WE, those He has chosen out of the world to eternal life, know him as Emmanuel. It is a privilege to know that God is with us as we are His adopted sons and daughters through Jesus Christ by order of our baptism. Remember, scripture tells us, “no one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him.” We have the revelation that God saves us and is with us always, and may we always be grateful for this knowledge. Merry Christmas!
Father Fox