4th Sunday
of Advent Year A
FIRST
READING
Isaiah 7:10—14
Isaiah 7:10—14
SECOND
READING
Romans 1:1—7
Romans 1:1—7
GOSPEL
Matthew 1:18—24
Matthew 1:18—24
THEME: DO NOT FEAR, HE IS WITH US.
In the first reading Ahaz noticed
that the Lord is with him and he said "I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"
DO WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THE LORD IS WITH US THESE DAYS? In the second reading
St. Paul also recognized that the Lord is with him and he said “Paul,
a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel
of God”. He made himself a slave because he knew that one with God is
majority. In the Gospel, Joseph also noticed the presence of God through the
Angel that came to him in his dream, and he acted according to the words of the
Angel for he knows it is the word of God. Joseph passed through hardship
provided he protects the child and mother. A righteous man like him passed
through those hardships. As children of God, are we to encounter any disturbing
thing in life as Joseph did? Some of our Christians today say that in Matthew
11:28-30 the Bible said “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me
for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For
my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” That Jesus did not plane for his people to
pass through any disturbing thing in life. Jesus in this chapter and verses of
the Bible did not mean that we are going to enjoy painless life. Continue Reading
Automatically, going to Jesus demands a lot. Going to Jesus demands many sacrifices. We must pay something, but DO NOT FEAR, FOR HE IS WITH US. What we pay in going to Jesus is too cheap that anyone can afford it, and whatever we pay in, we will get them back eternally. Are we ready to pay that prize? His load is light, his prize is also cheap. Ahaz said that he will not put his God in temptation. This time around, what do we do to God? He is now the one telling us Lead me not into temptation, which is direct opposite of what our Lord taught us in Matthew 6-13” And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”. We lead our God into many temptations through our words, thought and deeds. In the second reading St. Paul on his own made himself a prisoner or even slave for the sake of our Lord, but we on our own side is making God our slave. God you must answer me today, Jesus settle me let me rejoice with my neighbours (Jesus settle nụ mụo ka mụ soro ibe mụ nụrịa) etc. In the Gospel with was revealed in the Old Testament came to fulfilment. In the old it was said that a virgin shall conceive and have a son and his name will be Emmanuel which means God is with us. Joseph saw it in his dream and it came to fulfilment. He is with us. Do we recognize him? Let us try and see God in everything, everybody, everyplace, every time, everywhere and every situation as St. Ignatius of Loyola did. Seeing God in all things. God is with us through our father, mother, brothers, sisters, friends, enemies, relations and neighbours. He came in flesh and he will continue to come in flesh for he is “the word made flesh “. (Okwu emere ahụ). A QUESTION: When you are going in a dark area and you continue to pray for help, you continue and continue and nothing seems to happen. Suddenly you hear woo! Woo! Woo! The sound of a big Bird coming, what will you do? On the contrary, but if it is the sound of a motorcycle which means someone is coming, what will you do? Answer them yourself. As we wait for Christmas let us also know that it is not only on Christmas day that the Lord comes, he is always with us. (Chukwu nonyere anyi.) He was, is and forever with us. As you prepare for Christmas remember Psalm 127: 1 Except the LORD builds the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the Watchman wakes but in vain. (Ọ buru na Chineke ewughi ulo, N'efu ka ha dọb͕uworo onwe-ha n'ọlu nime ya, bú ndi nēwu ya: Ọ buru na Chineke echeghi obodo, N'efu ka onye-nche muruworo anya.) SO THAT WE WILL NOT FEAR AND ALSO NOTICE THAT HE IS WITH US. HAPPY SUNDAY.
Automatically, going to Jesus demands a lot. Going to Jesus demands many sacrifices. We must pay something, but DO NOT FEAR, FOR HE IS WITH US. What we pay in going to Jesus is too cheap that anyone can afford it, and whatever we pay in, we will get them back eternally. Are we ready to pay that prize? His load is light, his prize is also cheap. Ahaz said that he will not put his God in temptation. This time around, what do we do to God? He is now the one telling us Lead me not into temptation, which is direct opposite of what our Lord taught us in Matthew 6-13” And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”. We lead our God into many temptations through our words, thought and deeds. In the second reading St. Paul on his own made himself a prisoner or even slave for the sake of our Lord, but we on our own side is making God our slave. God you must answer me today, Jesus settle me let me rejoice with my neighbours (Jesus settle nụ mụo ka mụ soro ibe mụ nụrịa) etc. In the Gospel with was revealed in the Old Testament came to fulfilment. In the old it was said that a virgin shall conceive and have a son and his name will be Emmanuel which means God is with us. Joseph saw it in his dream and it came to fulfilment. He is with us. Do we recognize him? Let us try and see God in everything, everybody, everyplace, every time, everywhere and every situation as St. Ignatius of Loyola did. Seeing God in all things. God is with us through our father, mother, brothers, sisters, friends, enemies, relations and neighbours. He came in flesh and he will continue to come in flesh for he is “the word made flesh “. (Okwu emere ahụ). A QUESTION: When you are going in a dark area and you continue to pray for help, you continue and continue and nothing seems to happen. Suddenly you hear woo! Woo! Woo! The sound of a big Bird coming, what will you do? On the contrary, but if it is the sound of a motorcycle which means someone is coming, what will you do? Answer them yourself. As we wait for Christmas let us also know that it is not only on Christmas day that the Lord comes, he is always with us. (Chukwu nonyere anyi.) He was, is and forever with us. As you prepare for Christmas remember Psalm 127: 1 Except the LORD builds the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the Watchman wakes but in vain. (Ọ buru na Chineke ewughi ulo, N'efu ka ha dọb͕uworo onwe-ha n'ọlu nime ya, bú ndi nēwu ya: Ọ buru na Chineke echeghi obodo, N'efu ka onye-nche muruworo anya.) SO THAT WE WILL NOT FEAR AND ALSO NOTICE THAT HE IS WITH US. HAPPY SUNDAY.
See more http://tobeeze.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment