Education in Faith

4th Sunday in Advent - Year A

Gospel Reflection

The gospel of Matthew places a great deal of emphasis on the importance of the Law and upon its proper application. He casts Jesus in the role of the ‘new Moses’ – Moses was the great Law-giver of the Old Testament and Jesus is portrayed in this gospel as bringing a new Law to the people of Israel. In this week’s gospel, the proper application of the Law is as important as the Law itself. In the gospel passage, Joseph provides an example of the proper application of the Law. His betrothed wife, Mary was with child; she would have been subject to the Law against adultery and probably would have been stoned to death. Under the Law, Joseph was obliged to divorce her, and yet he determines that he will do so quietly and protect Mary from too much shame and possibly save her life. Joseph did not intend to ignore the Law, but he sought to carry it out in such a way as to bring the least shame and the least hurt to all involved.

The role of Joseph is often overlooked. There is no mention of him during the public ministry of Jesus. The latest mention in any of the gospels is the account of Jesus in the Temple at the age of 12. After that, Joseph disappears and we can only assume that he has passed away by the time Jesus takes up his ministry. Yet Joseph is truly a man of great faith. By rights he should have divorced Mary and walked away. But he trusts in the word of the God that is addressed to him in a dream and from that point on he goes to great lengths to protect and care for his family.

Living the Gospel – Advent

Emmanuel; God-is-with-us – that’s what we celebrate through Christmas and that’s what we’ve been preparing for during Advent. We celebrate God-with-us in a particular time and place through our celebration of the birth of Jesus. But we remember it every year because we also use the Christmas celebration to remind ourselves that God continues to be with us. That is what is so remarkable about the Christmas season: that God-is-with-us now, not just in a stable in Palestine so many years ago, but now! Advent is the time to remind ourselves of this incredible truth and prepare ourselves to acknowledge it once again.

Scriptural context

The first reading from the prophet Isaiah contains the prophecy that is quoted in the gospel passage. The book of Isaiah was written at a time when the people of Israel were under threat and had once again fallen away from their covenant with God. Isaiah’s prophecy is one of the ‘Messiah’ prophecies but despite the future-focus is a promise to the people of the time that God-is-with-us. The promise is that God-is-with-us now, despite the conditions we find ourselves in, and God-will-be-with-us in the future when God’s Messiah is born of a young woman.

Gospel Focus – What’s in a name?

It appears from the passage that Mary’s child is to be called both Jesus and Emmanuel. Emmanuel is not intended as a different name for Jesus but rather one of the many titles that will be applied to him. The title means God-is-with-us. That one word, Emmanuel, sums up the essence of Jewish and Christian belief. The Jewish people’s faith in God was built on the basis that God travelled with them and through their lives. Christians believe that God took on an even closer sense of being with us through God’s incarnation in the life of Jesus.

God Bless

Rozeta Ambrose

RE Leader

MINI VINNIES

 A big thank you to the SFS community for your support with our Christmas Appeal. We have already collected so many hamper items and the Christmas Trees are starting to look full with all the presents under them.

We hope that all presents and hamper items were returned today as Monday the St Vincent de Paul Society Hampton Park, which is based at St Kevin’s, will come and collect all the items and then distribute them to people in our community in need.

Our points for the Community Spirit Shield will end this term and the House with the most points will be presented with the shield at our last assembly for the year. We are now also including points for hamper items brought in and presents.

TERM 4 WEEK 10 POINTS

1ST           TERESA                 212

2ND          BOSCO                  181

3RD          PATRICK               156

4TH          MACKILLOP        143

What an amazing effort TERESA!!!

TOTAL POINTS SO FAR THIS YEAR

1ST           TERESA                 5 098

2ND          MACKILLOP        4 757

3RD          BOSCO                  4 455

4TH          PATRICK               4 328     

Teresa is still in the lead but not by much!!

We will let you know via an app notification next week the winning House for the Community Spirit Award.

With wish everyone a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year, enjoying time with your loved ones.

Giuliana and SFS Mini Vinnies