Living a Dream
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 7:10–14 / Psalm 24:7c, 10b / Romans 1:1–7 / Matthew 1: 18–24
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Reflecting on the Word
By Rev. James A. Wallace, C.Ss.R.
The Bible offers us a rich variety of men and women who qualify as heroes, warriors, prophets, and wise men and women. And every so often it places before us a dreamer. Jacob had the first big dream, with that ladder connecting heaven and earth, bearing ascending and descending angels.
His son Joseph started off with dreams that put himself at the center, much to his brothers’ chagrin, but later he saved himself by interpreting the dreams of others, including Pharaoh. However, the most important dreamer of all was Joseph, spouse of Mary and foster father to Jesus.
Joseph was asked to live out his dream. “[D]o 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,” he was told in a dream (Matthew 1:20). And not only that, he was to name the child Jesus, which means “God saves.” What all this cost him we don’t know. All we hear is that when he awoke from the dream, he did what had been asked and took Mary into his home.
That wasn’t the end of the dreams. “Joseph, take the mother and child into Egypt—Herod is trying to kill him.” “Joseph, take the mother and child out of Egypt—Herod is dead.” And Joseph did. Maybe once you begin to live God’s dream it gets easier.
God’s dream is that we live in the world as God’s adopted and saved children, working to bring God’s peace and justice, mercy and forgiveness into our world wherever they are needed.
Consider/Discuss
- What do you think God’s dream is for our world today?
- Do you know Jesus as Emmanuel (God with us)?
Responding to the Word
We ask God to continue to save us in our own day from all that would lead us away from God. We ask God to continue to help us to know Jesus as Emmanuel, God with us, so that our faith may be rooted in the wisdom and power of God.