The common thread running through our readings today is the gift of God’s grace. Isaiah challenged Ahaz to place his trust in God, and offered a miraculous sign. His prophecy shows that Jesus Christ is the Son of God which, powered by grace, is what called St. Paul to be an apostle to the Gentiles. But the ultimate gift of God’s grace came through the Incarnation. The birth of Jesus fulfilled God’s loving promise to offer salvation and give us, "the created," a way to spend eternity with God, our Creator!