Reflection for December 21, 2025

Fourth Sunday of Advent (A)

Isaiah 7:10-14 | Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 | Romans 1:1-7 | Matthew 1:18-24

​We are now on the fourth Sunday of Advent, and as the song goes, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! The Scriptures for this Sunday, just before Christmas, focus directly on the mystery of who Jesus Christ truly is.

​One day, Mrs. Matias asked her class, “Who can tell me what Emmanuel means?” Little Jose Mello shot his hand up like he was auditioning for something and said, “It means God is with us.” Mrs. Matias smiled. “Very good! And how do we know God is with us?” Jose Mello didn’t even think twice. “Because my mom, Melanie, says it all the time.” Mrs. Matias raised an eyebrow. “Really? When does she say that?” Jose Mello said, “Every time she can’t find something. She goes, ‘Jesus, where did I put my phone?!’ Then she looks at me and says, ‘Jose Mello, God is with us—help me look.” The whole class burst out laughing, and Mrs. Matias said, “Well, class, that might not be perfect theology… but it’s not completely wrong either. God really is with us—even in lost phones, missing keys, and messy mornings.”

Rezin, king of Syria, entered into an alliance with Pekah, king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, against the Southern Kingdom of Judah, ruled by King Ahaz. Together, they surrounded Jerusalem in an effort to force Judah into joining them against the powerful state of Assyria. Isaiah offered Ahaz a sign that everything would eventually turn out well. Despite this, Ahaz did not put his trust in the LORD. Acting against the counsel of the prophet Isaiah, he entered into an ungodly alliance with Tiglath-Pileser III, king of Assyria, to repel the invaders. In frustration, Isaiah announced God’s sign anyway: the birth of a son from a virgin, whose very name, “Emmanuel” (God is with us), would assure everyone that God was truly with His people. Ahaz had no intention of changing his plans; his mind was made up. In the end, Assyria defeated the invaders, and Ahaz presented himself as a subject to the Assyrian king. Not only did Judah’s political situation worsen, but Assyria also imposed a heavy tribute and introduced Assyrian gods into the Temple. The child in question was Ahaz’s own son, Hezekiah, soon to be born of his young wife. The name given to him by Isaiah, “Emmanuel”, perfectly reflects the purpose for which he was born. Through him, God would be restored to His Temple, and the Israelites would return to their God. The message from God to Ahaz was simple: “Shhh! Just calm down, don’t be afraid, and don’t act rashly.” Ahaz didn’t need to perform heroic maneuvers or political alliances. He only needed to trust that God was telling the truth. Instead, he joined forces with Assyria, which ended in disaster. What are some of God’s promises to you? If you trusted fully in God’s Word, how would these promises shape your life?

Little Jose Mello once tugged at Tita Teresa’s sleeve and asked, “Tita… who is really Jesus’ dad?” Tita Teresa blinked. “Why?” Jose Mello frowned. “Because Teacher says Jesus is the son of Joseph the carpenter. Father says He’s the son of David. Sister says He’s the Son of God. So… does Jesus have a family tree or a whole forest?” Tita Teresa laughed. Jose Mello added, very serious, “And since Joseph is a carpenter… does that mean Jesus has a tree dad?” Tita Teresa explained patiently: Joseph is Jesus’ earthly father, David is His ancestor, and God is His true Father. Jose Mello nodded, then said, “Okay. So Jesus has a carpenter dad, a king in the family, and God as His Father.” He smiled. “No wonder He’s so powerful—ang dami Niyang connections.”

In our Second Reading, Paul greets the members of the Church in Rome and declares that the gospel of God concerns Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh. Paul does not use the name Emmanuel for Jesus, but he provides a sweeping summary of God’s mighty acts in history through Him. So… are you done with your Christmas shopping yet? Have you given anyone ridiculously expensive presents? Here’s a public service announcement: Tumatanggap pa po ako ng regalo! Just kidding. But seriously, I heard that someone actually tried to calculate the cost of giving all the gifts mentioned in the classic Christmas song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” The grand total? About ₱761,482.50! Still, the real message of Christmas isn’t about the gifts we give each other. It’s a reminder of the gift God has given to each of us. Jesus was born to be God’s unbelievably priceless gift to us. The Son of God became man so He could save us from our sins. That’s one amazing shot, isn’t it? Let’s be generous in sharing this incredibly valuable gift with others.

Joseph was quietly listening as his son, Jose Mello, said his bedtime prayers. “Dear Harold…” Jose Mello began. Joseph’s eyes flew open. “Wait—what? Why are you calling God Harold?” Jose Mello looked genuinely confused. “Because that’s what G-pop Yuli, G-mum Susan, and everyone at church calls Him.” Joseph sat up. “What do you mean?” Jose Mello shrugged and said, “You know the prayer we always say: ‘Our Father, who art in Heaven…” He paused, said it slowly, and finished confidently, “Harold be Thy name.” Joseph covered his face, trying not to laugh—and realized that somewhere in heaven, God was probably smiling… and answering to both names.

What’s in a name? When we are born, we are given a name. Some parents think long and hard before choosing one. Others don’t think much at all and just blurt it out when the baby arrives. Sometimes, a nurse, doctor, or someone else present at the birth even gives the name. In our Gospel, Joseph, a righteous man, “adopted” Jesus by giving Him a name that had been revealed to him by an angel. In Joseph’s native tongue, the child’s name was “Yehosua,” which means “YHWH is salvation.” Today, we translate this name as Jesus, and it shows that this newborn child’s purpose was to bring God’s salvation into the world. Through Jesus, God saves the world. In Hebrew, El is a short form of Elohim, a name for God. Emmanu-El means “God with us.” Emmanuel describes Jesus’ role or vocation: His calling is to save His people from their sins and to manifest God’s presence. Have you ever researched your own name? Through Baptism, we are all called “Christian” because we belong to Christ. That surely means something. But do we truly live up to what this name means? Advent is almost over, and there is still time to be generous to those in need or lonely during this season. As Christians, we are called to save others (Yehosua) and to manifest God’s presence (Emmanuel) in their lives. Be alert and ready to bless others this week.

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