10. God our Father, we thank You for
blessing us with another day
to gather as one community of Faith.
Thank you for another Year that you
have blessed us with to celebrate Your
love through the redemption that You
offer us. As we reflect on Your Word
today, may we be inspired by the fidelity
and example of St. Joseph—his
steadfastness in obeying Your word.
Send us the Holy Spirit so that as we
anticipate the birth of Jesus Your Son,
we too may protect Him, who is present
in our brothers and sisters, following the
example of St. Joseph. All these we ask
in the name of Jesus Christ Your Son
our Lord, who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit, One God forever and
ever. Amen.
11.
12. The Gospel will be read twice.
After reading it for the first time the students
may share their striking words at the comment
section, during the silence.
After reading it for the second time silence will
follow for personal prayer and contemplation,
then sharing of reflection shall follow.
15. 18 Now this is how the birth
of Jesus Christ came
about. When his mother
Mary was betrothed to
Joseph, but before they
lived together, she was
found with child through the
Holy Spirit.
16. 19
Joseph her husband, since
he was a righteous man, yet
unwilling to expose her to
shame decided to divorce her
quietly. 20
Such was his intention
when behold, the angel of the
Lord appeared to him in a
dream and said,
17. “Joseph, son of David,
do 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.
18. She will bear a son and
you are to name him
Jesus because he will
save his people from
their sins.” 22 All this took
place to fulfill what the
Lord had said through
the prophet:
19. 23“Behold, the virgin shall
be with child and bear a
son, and they shall name
him Emmanuel,” which
means “God is with
us.” 24 When Joseph
awoke, he did as the angel
of the Lord had
commanded him and took
his wife into his home.
23. Ganito ang pagkapanganak
kay Hesukristo. Si Maria na
kanyang ina at si Jose ay
nakatakda nang pakasal.
Ngunit bago sila nakasal,
si Maria’y natagpuang
nagdadalang-tao. Ito’y sa
pamamagitan ng Espiritu
Santo.
24. Isang taong matuwid itong
si Jose na kanyang
magiging asawa, ngunit
ayaw niyang mapahiya si
Maria, kaya ipinasiya
niyang hiwalayan ito nang
lihim. Samantalang iniisip
ni Jose ito, napakita sa
kanya sa isang panaginip
ang isang anghel ng
Panginoon.
25. Sabi nito sa kanya,
“Jose, anak ni David,
huwag kang matakot na
tuluyang pakasalan si
Maria, sapagkat siya’y
naglihi sa pamamagitan
ng Espiritu Santo.
26. Manganganak siya ng
isang lalaki at ito’y
pangangalanan mong
Hesus, sapagkat siya
ang magliligtas sa
kanyang bayan sa
kanilang mga
kasalanan.”
27. Nangyari ang lahat ng ito
upang matupad ang sinabi
ng Panginoon sa
pamamagitan ng propeta:
“Maglilihi ang isang
dalaga at manganganak ng
isang lalaki, at tatawagin
itong Emmanuel” ang
kahuluga’y “Kasama natin
ang Diyos”.
28. Nang magising si
Jose, sinunod niya
ang utos ng anghel ng
Panginoon;
pinakasalan niya si
Maria.
35. Catechism (background)
The context of the Sunday Gospel
(4th Sunday of Advent)
- To introduce this Gospel story, Matthew
begins with “how the birth of Jesus
Christ came about” (v. 18). He follows it
up by describing the relationship of
Mary, the mother of Jesus, with Joseph.
Mary was already engaged to Joseph.
36. Catechism (background)
The context of the Sunday Gospel
(4th Sunday of Advent)
- Jewish marriage starts with an engagement arranged
by parents, often while the boy and girl are still
children. Prior to marriage, couples begin a yearlong
betrothal similar to marriage except for sexual rights.
Betrothal is binding and can be terminated only by
death or divorce. A person whose betrothed dies is
considered a widow or widower. Betrothal in first-
century Jewish culture was in fact the first part of the
marriage contract. A breach of this contract was
considered adultery.
37. Catechism (background)
Joseph the Righteous Man
- As an engaged or betrothed couple,
Joseph and Mary were not yet officially
married. However, as an affianced bride,
Mary was considered under Jewish law
to have both the rights and duties of a
wife. Thus, cohabitation with another
man would bring it all the penalties of
adultery.
38. Catechism (background)
Joseph the Righteous Man
- Now “Mary was found with child through the Holy
Spirit” (v.18) before they even lived together. If
adultery was proven, the punishment might be
death. Joseph had rights under Mosaic law but,
instead, chose to act discreetly in his plans to
break the marriage contract, so as to protect
Mary. “(U) unwilling to expose her to shame,
(Joseph) decided to divorce her quietly” (v. 19) so
that he might not cause her unnecessary pain,
and without giving any precise reason, as was
possible to contemporary Jewish practice.
39. Catechism (background)
Joseph the Righteous Man
- So, rather than demanding for Mary, harsh justice
for having a child before they ever lived together,
Joseph, though “a righteous man” (v. 19) made a
chivalrous decision.
A Righteous or Just man - was a man faithful to
the law; he lives by God’s law. However, Joseph
through his noble intention modeled compassion
in the face of the perceived sin of the child of
Mary. He also demonstrated a godly balance
between the Law of Torah and the Law of Love.
40. Catechism (background)
The Annunciation to Joseph
- Responding to the noble intention of Joseph, God
intervened by sending an angel to appear to Joseph
in a dream. This is the first of three occasions in
which an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. In
each instance, Joseph had no speaking part––
Matthew does not record one word that he said at
all. In this first appearance, the angel commanded
him to take Mary as his wife and he did so. The angel
calls Joseph to action and Joseph dutifully obeys.
41. Catechism (background)
The Annunciation to Joseph
- Responding to the noble intention of Joseph, God
intervened by sending an angel to appear to Joseph
in a dream. This is the first of three occasions in
which an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. In
each instance, Joseph had no speaking part––
Matthew does not record one word that he said at
all. In this first appearance, the angel commanded
him to take Mary as his wife and he did so. The angel
calls Joseph to action and Joseph dutifully obeys.
42. Catechism (background)
The Annunciation to Joseph
- Joseph learned of this divine plan in a dream, and he
obeyed God as the angel of the Lord directed him:
“when Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord
had commanded him and took his wife into his
home” (v. 24).
- Joseph indeed deserved to be the foster father of
Jesus on earth because aside from his lineage—a
descendant of King David, he was a righteous man,
always obedient and faithful to the will of God.
43. Catechism (background)
The names of the child
- The name, Jesus, “is the Greek form of the
Hebrew Yehosua, which means ‘YHWH is
salvation’” (Bergant, 27).
- It is related to the name Joshua––Moses’
successor. The first Joshua saved the
people from their enemies; the
second Joshua (Jesus) “will save his
people from their sins” (v. 21).
44. Catechism (background)
The names of the child
- The angel quoted an Old Testament (OT)
prophecy, Isaiah 7:14, the first of the OT texts
that Matthew cites in his Gospel. There, the
angel mentioned another name of the child
borne by Mary: Emmanuel. In Hebrew, El is a
short form of Elohim, a name for God.
Immanu-El means “God with us,” a meaning
that Matthew spelled out for non-Hebrew
readers.
45. Catechism (background)
The names of the child
- Emmanuel was not a second name by which
friends and neighbors would know Jesus. Jesus
was His name, and Emmanuel described His
role.
- Matthew thus began his Gospel with the
promise that Jesus is God-with-us and will end
the Gospel with the promise that Jesus will be
with us “always, to the end of the age”
(28:20).
46.
47. 1. She will bear a son and you are to name him
Jesus because he will save his people from
their sins
2. “Maglilihi ang isang dalaga at manganganak ng
isang lalaki, at tatawagin itong Emmanuel” ang
kahuluga’y “Kasama natin ang Diyos”.
48. 3 Learning from the Gospel
Joseph, the righteous man, our
example to celebrate Christmas
- Joseph is given to us to be an example of how to
take our own role in the story of the birth of Jesus
or the Christmas story. Joseph is the full model of
the “righteous man”
- The story of Joseph teaches us how to celebrate
Jesus’ nativity, how to live the spirit of Christmas,
and truly experience its joys and peace.
49. 3 Learning from the Gospel
The Christmas Season: a Celebration of
the mystery of the Incarnation
- The season of Christmas makes us remember
and honor the mystery of the Incarnation.
- This mystery teaches us that the Son of God
became man.
- Belief in the true Incarnation of the Son of God
is distinct from the Christian faith. (CCC 465)
50. 3 Learning from the Gospel
Filipinos’ Christmas traditional nine-
day Simbang Gabi.
- Those who have taken part in the Simbang Gabi
would use it as their spiritual preparation for
Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. Many have
attended it because of the favors and blessings
they needed from the Lord. In fact, most
Simbang Gabi people believe that if one
completes the whole series of nine dawn
masses, the Lord will grant their prayers.
52. Words to Ponder:
God did not come into our world at high
noon. He entered our lives in darkness,
showing us the way to light, guiding us
toward love, and demonstrating how to
overcome shadows and blackness.
Christmas teaches us that even when
things seem dark, we can trust the
everlasting light.
DON BOSCO
CANLUBANG
53. CLOSING PRAYER
Dear Jesus, we, thank You for having been born, grown,
and lived like us. Thank You for becoming one among us,
and thank You for giving Your mother and St. Joseph as
examples of faith and obedience. As our Advent
pilgrimage draws to a close, light within our hearts the
candles of hope, peace, joy, and love. May they keep our
hearts warm so that we may share them with our brothers
and sisters who are most in need of them. Grant us the
courage to share Your love: love for life and creation,
love for the sinners and saints, love for the poor and the
little ones. We thank You for being our hope, for giving us
peace and joy in our hearts, and we thank You for the
love that redeems us and shows us the way to the Father.
These we ask the Father, in Your name and in the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
