Fourth Sunday in Advent: Cycle A; December 23, 2007

Scripture Readings
First : Isaiah 7:10-14
Second: Romans 1:1-7
Gospel: Matthew 1; 18-25

Prepared by: Fr. Stephen Dominic Hayes, OP

1. Subject Matter
• 1. As Christmas draws near, the readings begin to focus upon the mystery of the incarnation
of the Lord: specifically, in Matthew's Gospel, the virginal conception and birth of Christ by
the power of the Holy Spirit.
• 2. The Gospel provides meditation upon the annunciation to St. Joseph, through whom, in
accepting Jesus as his own son, and by taking the responsibility of naming him, Jesus shall
receive his lineage and claim to be Son of David the king.
• 3. The heart of St. Joseph, his openness to being formed by God through his dreams (much
like Joseph, son of Jacob, in the book of Genesis) gives an example to all those who would
make a place for Christ and his Holy Spirit in their lives. He manifests the ”obedience of
faith” which St. Paul proclaims in the second reading.
• 4. Like the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph shows himself to be at the disposal of God and his plan
for salvation at all times. In this, he also demonstrates what is the essence of being husband
to the wife God has chosen for him, and the essence of fatherhood towards the holy Son
whom he takes and serves as his own.

2. Exegetical Notes
• Matthew, the most Semitic of the Gospels, is rife with allusions to Old Testament prophecy
coming to fulfillment. Most prominent is the specific allusion to Isaiah 7:14 (in the first
reading) and that text’s discernment of the birth of the child who will be the manifestation of
the Messianic Age. The Septuagint translates the Hebrew almah (young woman) as
parthenos (virgin), and Matthew uses this to affirm the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. The
prophecy of Isaiah, however, seems to put more emphasis on the name “Emmanuel”: (God
with us”) , in which points to a Savior who is more than man, while remaining clearly a Son of
Man. The birth of the child of Bethlehem will fulfill precisely all these prophecies. Matthew
returns to this idea at the end of the Gospel (28:20), when the risen Lord, about to ascend to
heaven, promises his disciples, “I will be with you always, until the end of the age.”
• In distinction to Luke, Matthew focuses his narrative of the birth of Christ around Joseph, who
is the descendent of David and of Abraham through, through whose lineage the plan of God
is to work out. It will be through Joseph that Jesus receives his title as descendent of David
and of the ancient line of Judah’s kings. This will be accomplished when Joseph, in
obedience to the instruction he receives from the angelic messenger in his dream, does the
father's duty towards Jesus by giving him his name, a name, which God himself has provided
prior to the Christ's birth.
• The espousal of Mary and Joseph places the time of the angelic visitation between the
execution of a marriage contract traditional for Jewish marriage and the time of the reception
of the bride into the house of the husband. Thus the term "divorce " is only approximate;
better is the translation “to put her away quietly.” Although the punishment for adultery
according to the Mosaic law was death by stoning, even the in the case of adultery
committed after the reception of the bride the law seems to have not been applied with its full
rigor in New Testament times. The danger to Mary is shame, not necessarily stoning.
Joseph seeks to act rightly, and therefore, to avoid causing his fiancée any distress. St. John
Chrysostom writes, "to keep marrying his house appeared to be a transgression of the law,
but to expose and bring her to trial would cause them to deliver to die. He would do nothing
of the sort. So Joseph determined to conduct himself now by a higher rule than the law. For
now that grace was appearing, it would be fitting that many tokens of that exalted citizenship
be expressed. It is like the sun not yet arisen, but from afar more than half the world is
already illumined by its light. So did Christ, when about to rise from the womb -- even before
his birth -- cast light upon all the world."
• The name of the child given by the angel, in Greek “Iesous” represents both Aramaic
“Yeshua” and Hebrew “Yehoshua”. It's meaning is “God saves”; it has been held by other
agents of divine salvation, most famous of which are Joshua, the successor of Moses and
the one who leads the people into the Holy Land to seize the promises of God; and the high
priest Joshua, who appears in Zechariah 3 and 6, whose name is connected with the figure
of the “shoot” (of Jesse), the messianic figure who will build up the temple of the Lord. That
text also calls for the royal crowning of Joshua in the present Hebrew text; the scholars make
the argument that the original text, as delivered by the prophet, referred to Zerubbabel, the
princely descendant of David who is Joshua’s contemporary and the ancestor of St. Joseph
(cf. Matthew 1: 12-13.) The present text has Joshua the high priest receiving a royal crown,
something reserved for the tribe of Judah. But there will come a “Yehoshua,” Jesus, a
descendent of Judah and David, who shall be both priest and King (Hebrews 11), and the
builder of that spiritual Temple which is Holy Church.
• Vs 25: “until she bore a son”. They New Testament knows nothing of any other children of
Mary and Joseph. Matthew emphasizes that Joseph is not the natural father Jesus and his
language is determined by that interest. The term “firstborn son” in the Gospel of Luke does
not point to subsequent children, but refers to the obligation to redeem the first male child
opens the womb by the sacrifice of a lamb or two turtle doves (as will occur in the
Presentation in the Temple). Matthew's concern, on the other hand is to emphasize the
divine agency by which the child is conceived, and the reality of the Virgin birth. His use of
the word "until" do not address any event occurring after that birth.
3. References to the Catechism of the Catholic Church
• CCC 437: To the shepherds, the angel announced the birth of Jesus as the Messiah
promised to Israel: "To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the
Lord.” From the beginning he was the "one whom the father consecrated and sent into the
world," conceived as "holy" in Mary's virginal womb. God called Joseph to "take Mary as
your wife, for that which is conceived of her is of the Holy Spirit," so that Jesus, "who is called
Christ," should be born of Joseph's spouse into the messianic lineage of David.
• CCC 497: ( On Is. 7:14), The Gospel accounts understand the virginal conception of Jesus
as a divine work that surpasses all human understanding and possibility: "That which is
conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit," said the angel to Joseph about Mary, his fiancée. The
Church sees here the fulfillment of the divine promise given through the prophet Isaiah:
"Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son."
• CCC 498: People are sometimes troubled by the silence of St. Mark's Gospel and New
Testament epistles about Jesus’ virginal conception. Some might wonder if we were merely
dealing with legends or theological constructs not claiming to be history. To this we must
respond: Faith in the virginal conception of Jesus met with the lively opposition, mockery, or
incomprehension of nonbelievers, Jews and pagans alike; so it could hardly have been
motivated by pagan mythology or by some adaptation to the ideas of the age.
• CCC 485: The mission of the Holy Spirit is always conjoined and ordered to that of the Son.
The Holy Spirit, "the Lord, the giver of life," is sent to sanctify the womb of the Virgin Mary
and divinely fecundate it, causing her to conceive the eternal Son of the Father in a humanity
drawn from our own.
• CCC 2087: Our moral life has its source in faith in God who reveals his love to us. St. Paul
speaks of the "obedience of faith" (Rom. 1:5; 16:26) as our first obligation. He shows that
"ignorance of God" is the principal explanation of all moral deviations (Rom. 18-32). Our
duty toward God is to believe in him and to bear witness to him.

4. Patristic Commentary and Other Authorities

• Ignatius of Antioch (Letter to the Ephesians): Mary's virginity and giving birth and even
the Lord's death escaped the notice of the prince of this world: these three mysteries worthy
of proclamation were accomplished in God silence.
• Anonymous Incomplete Work on Matthew (5th C.): See in what way the similarity here
follows in everything that happened with Adam. At that time, the woman alone, tasting of the
fruit of the tree, was seduced and brought forth death, but Adam did not share in her
seduction. He did not sin through being seduced by the devil but because he consented to
the woman's act. Likewise, submitting to the Holy Spirit, Mary alone believed, saying,
"Behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed." Joseph then actually had nothing
in common with her conception, but later was saved only by being silent and consenting.
Joseph was assisted in a dream -- not openly -- so that even as when Adam was asleep God
created the woman, so when Joseph was asleep he was given a wife by divine influence.
• St. John Chrysostom (On the Gospel of Matthew, Hom. 4.6): It was as if the angel were
saying to Joseph, "Do not imagine that, because he is conceived of the Holy Spirit, that you
have no part in the ministry of this new dispensation. In the conception, you had no part.
 You never touched a virgin. Nevertheless I am giving you what pertains to a father. I give
you the honor of giving a name to the One who is to be born. For you, Joseph, shall name
him. For though the offspring is not your own, yet you are called l to exhibit a father's care
toward him. So in this occasion, at this moment of giving him a name, you stand in
significant relation is the One who is born." That lest on the other hand, anyone should, out
of all of this, suspect him to be the father, hear what follows and with what exact care the
angel states it:: "She shall bring forth a Son." He does not say "bring forth to you" but
merely, "she shall bring forth," putting it indefinitely, since it was not merely to him that she
brought forth, but to the whole world.
• Chromatius (Tractate on Matthew): It was not appropriate for so great a mystery to be
revealed to anyone other than Joseph, who is known to be Mary’s fiancé, and no reproach of
sin was attached to his name. In fact, Joseph translated from the Hebrew into Latin means
"beyond reproach."
• Chromatius (Tractate on Matthew): for Jesus, as we have said is rendered as "Savior."
This is what he said through the prophet: "From the body of my mother He named my name."
And that he might more fully, show us the sacrament of his incarnation, he went on to say,
"He made my mouth like a sharp sword... He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid
me away." By the arrow he signified his divinity; by the quiver he assumed the body from the
Virgin in which his divinity was covered with a garment of flesh.
• Didymus the Blind (On the Trinity): It helps us to understand the terms "first-born" and
"only-begotten" when the Evangelist tells that Mary remained a virgin. "Until she brought
forth her first-born son"; for neither did Mary, who is to be honored and praised above all
others, marry anyone, but did she ever become the Mother of anyone else, but even after
childbirth she remained always and forever an immaculate Virgin.

5. Examples from the Saints and Other Exemplars

• Like Joseph, son of Jacob, in the Book of Genesis, St. Joseph is aided by God by revelations
in his dreams. Like his ancient ancestor, St. Joseph will take his family to Egypt to rescue
and protect them until the death of Herod. All of this is in fulfillment of ancient prophecy, as
Christ personally recapitulates the sacred history of Israel: “Out of Egypt I have called my
son” (Hosea 11:1). In St. Joseph, the Scripture concerning the first Joseph becomes
manifest again in the person of his descendent, who in turn becomes a model or modern
Christians who seek to be led , like Joseph, by the Holy Spirit.
• St. Theresa of Avila (Autobiography VI, 11-12): “Would that I could persuade all men to
be devoted to this glorious Saint [St. Joseph], for I know by long experience what blessings
he can obtain for us from God. I have never known anyone who was truly devoted to him and
honored him by particular services who did not advance greatly in virtue: for he helps in a
special way those souls who commend themselves to him. It is now very many years since I
began asking him for something on his feast, and I have always received it. If the petition
was in any way amiss, he rectified it for my greater good … I ask for the love of God that he
who does not believe me will make the trial for himself—then he will find out by experience
the great good that results from commending oneself to this glorious Patriarch and in being
devoted to him.”
• Pope Leo XIII “ Quamquam pluries”: “And Joseph shines among all mankind by the most
august dignity, since by divine will, he was the guardian of the Son of God and reputed as
His father among men. Hence it came about that the Word of God was humbly subject to
Joseph, that He obeyed him, and that He rendered to him all those offices that children are
bound to render to their parents. …. It is, then, natural and worthy that as the Blessed Joseph
ministered to all the needs of the family at Nazareth and girt it about with his protection, he
should now cover with the cloak of his heavenly patronage and defend the Church of Jesus
Christ.”
• Pope John Paul II (Redcemptoris Custos): There is a strict parallel between the
"annunciation" in Matthew's text and the one in Luke. The divine messenger introduces
Joseph to the mystery of Mary's motherhood. While remaining a virgin, she who by law is his
"spouse" has become a mother through the power of the Holy Spirit. And when the Son in
Mary's womb comes into the world, he must receive the name Jesus. This was a name
known among the Israelites and sometimes given to their sons. In this case, however, it is
the Son who, in accordance with the divine promise, will bring to perfect fulfillment the
meaning of the name Jesus-Yehos ua' - which means "God saves."

6. Quotations from Pope Benedict XVI

• “Joseph appears to us ever attentive to the voice of the Lord, who guides the events of
history, and ready to follow the instructions, ever faithful, generous and detached in service,
an effective teacher of prayer and of work in the hidden life at Nazareth.“ Feb 25, 2006,
Discourse to the Major Roman Seminary.
• “In the days prior to Christmas, it is more important than ever to establish a kind of spiritual
dialogue with St. Joseph, because he helps us to experience fully this great mystery of the
faith. … In other words, St. Joseph’s silence was not an expression of interior emptiness, but
on the contrary, of the fullness of faith that he carried in his heart, and that guided his every
thought and deed. A silence through which Joseph, together with Mary, safeguarded the
Word of God ... and continually compared it with the events of Jesus’ life; a silence
interwoven with constant prayer ... and with unreserved trust in Divine providence. It is no
exaggeration to say that from His ‘father’ Joseph, Jesus learnt – at a human level – the
vigorous interior life that is a premise of true justice, the ‘superior justice’ that one day He
would teach His disciples. … Let us allow ourselves to be ‘infected’ by St. Joseph’s silence!
We need it greatly, in a world that is often too noisy, that does not favor meditation or
listening to the voice of God. During this period of preparation for Christmas, let us cultivate
interior meditation, in order to welcome and safeguard Jesus in our lives.” (Sunday Address
to Pilgrims, Dec. 18, 2005.)
• “Let us now invoke together the protection of Mary Most Holy and of St. Joseph for every
family, especially for those in difficulty. May they be supported so that they will be able to
resist the disintegrating impulses of a certain contemporary culture which undermines the
very basis of the family institution. May they may help Christian families throughout the world
to be the living image of the love of God.” (Address at the Sunday Angelus Dec. 31, 2006.)

7. Other Considerations
• Josephus, in the Antiquities of the Jews, 2,9,3, recounts an angelic visitation in a dream to
Amram, father of Moses, “his wife being then with child, and he knew not what to do”, much
after the fashion of St. Joseph’s dream, which summarizes Moses’ life and work in prophetic
terms.
• Although St. Joseph finishes his life, according to holy tradition, before Jesus reveals himself
publicly, at his baptism and begins his public ministry, to foster father of Jesus exemplifies
well St. Paul's words in the second reading of being "a slave for Christ." Joseph poured out
his life in the service of his wife and child, serving them selflessly, without even the usual
pleasures of married life, for the sake of the holy vocations of Mother and Child. In this he
not only sets the standard for the holiness of family life in Christ, but by his service of her who
in her particular being represents the meaning and the vocation of Holy Church in general,
provides a model also for those who like St. Paul follow in the apostolic ministry as servants
of Christ and his Church. This makes St. Joseph in his ”obedience of faith” both rightly
patron and protector of the Universal Church, and a model for priestly and diaconal ministry.

Recommended Resources
Brown, Raymond E., S.S., Fitzmeyer, Joseph, S.J., and Murphy, Roland E., O. Carm. The
Jerome Biblical Commentary. Two Vols. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc.,
1968.

Cameron, Peter John, O.P., ed. Benedictus: Day by Day with Pope Benedict XVI. Yonkers, NY:
Magnificat/Ignatius Press, 2006.

Jurgens, William A. The Faith of the Early Fathers. 3 Vols. Collegeville, Minnesota: The
Liturgical Press, 1979.

Oden, Thomas C., Gen Ed. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. New Testament Vol.
Ia, Matthew 1-13. Mario Simonetti, ed.Downer’s Grove, Illinois,: Intervarsity Press, 2001.

Thomas Aquinas, St. Catena Aurea: Commentary on the Four Gospels Collected out of the
Works of the Fathers.. Albany, N.Y.: Preserving Christian Publications, Inc., 2001.