The Sign Humanity Could Not Ask For

Today’s Homily unpacks the Gospel’s declaration . . .

. . . that Christ’s birth fulfills ancient prophecy, urging believers to move beyond a narrow, sentimental view of the Nativity into its vast theological depth.

Isaiah’s prophecy to King Ahaz reveals humanity’s reluctance to hope when confronted with God’s generosity: though invited to ask for a sign, the faithless king refuses. God responds by giving the sign anyway . . . one beyond human imagination . . . the Virgin conceiving Emmanuel, “God with us.”

This Promise Fulfilled

St. Matthew presents this promise fulfilled not in royal splendor, but in the humble home of Joseph, a carpenter of David’s line. Faced with shattered expectations and personal disappointment, Joseph chooses mercy over judgment, becoming a living sign of God’s way. By welcoming Mary and the child, Joseph receives the divine sign that kings once rejected and becomes the first guardian of salvation’s mystery.

The meditation concludes by placing us within the drama of Advent: God still asks the same question . . . What do you hope for? The challenge is not merely to believe, but to hope boldly, trusting that God is present and invites us to ask for great things.

What does that really mean and what is God really asking? What do you hope for?

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The Sign Humanity Could Not Ask For

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Art Work

The Holy Family: Spanish Painter: Bartolomé Esteban Murillo: 1661

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Gospel Reading: Matthew 1: 18-25

First Reading: Jeremiah 23: 5-8

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Why was this image selected: Murillo’s intimate depiction of the Holy Family emphasizes domestic humility rather than grandeur. It visually reflects the Homily’s insight that the throne of David has become a carpenter’s house . . . and that this humble dwelling is where God chooses to be “with us.”