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.
