Sunday, December 21, 2025

 

FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

(Isaiah 7:10-14; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-24)

Sixty years ago, the Second Vatican Council affirmed that the Church has the duty to “scrutinize the signs of the times and interpret them in the light of the Gospel.” Well, today a lamentable sign of the times is the crudeness and vulgarity in public affairs. Journalists often seek controversy when reporting on events. They emphasize differences between people, even when those differences are not truly important aspects of the matter. Some politicians never tire of hurling insults at those with whom they disagree. They prefer to humiliate their opponents rather than engage in dialogue with them to arrive at the truth. We are no longer surprised to hear social leaders use vulgarities and threats. The result of this public behavior has been an increasingly bitter social climate, leaving ordinary people confused and often adopting unfair positions.

In the United States, the issue of immigration has produced this kind of confusion and resentment. Millions of people have entered the country illegally or overstayed their visas. They have been called “undocumented” or “illegal immigrants.” Supporters of undocumented immigrants claim they have contributed to the good of the country and have not disproportionately monopolized social benefits. They describe opponents as intolerant and forgetful of the fact that their own ancestors came to this country as immigrants.

On the other hand, there are citizens who want undocumented immigrants deported. They argue that, in some areas, the cost of public services—such as schools—for illegal immigrants has become unbearable. They respond to the accusation of intolerance by saying that the United States is a desirable country to live in precisely because laws are expected to be obeyed. They add that their grandparents or great-grandparents did not break the law when they entered the country.

If the country wants to overcome this problem, honest dialogue among people with diverse perspectives is needed. Certainly, millions of immigrants cannot be deported without causing unacceptable damage to social stability. But neither can the continued abuse of immigration laws be tolerated.

Hostile behavior goes against our Christian heritage. The first page of the Bible teaches us that all men and women are made in the image of God. For this reason alone, we are due respect. Furthermore, Jesus encourages his disciples to treat even adversaries fairly. In the Sermon on the Mount, he tells us that we must love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (cf. Matthew 5:44).

We can take Saint Joseph, in today's Gospel, as a model of true justice. He lives according to both the spirit and the letter of God's Law. According to the spirit of the Law, he does not want to expose Mary to disgrace by revealing her pregnancy.  He will follow the letter of the Law by “divorc(ing) her quietly.”  And he does not hesitate to obey the Lord’s explicit command to receive her and her child into his home.

Instead of hurling insults at our adversaries, we Catholics should be the first to try to understand their points of view. We should presume their good intentions until clear evidence to the contrary emerges. Even then, we should try to convince them of the truth instead of condemning their opinions. When we practice justice, we bear witness to our faith in God.

This is precisely what the prophet Isaiah recommends to the king of Judah in the first reading. The powerful Assyrian Empire has set out to conquer the world. To halt its advance, the kingdoms of Samaria (Israel) and Syria want Judah to form an alliance with them. But King Ahaz of Judah chooses to ally himself with Assyria, despite the prophet's recommendation not to and to trust only in God. Isaiah offers as a sign of God's faithfulness that a virgin will give birth to a son, whose name will be Emmanuel, meaning "God with us."

This week we will welcome again Emmanuel, the King of kings and Prince of Peace. Part of our homage to the newborn King should be our commitment to live according to his law: seeking peace with justice for all, through love.