Today begins the 4th week of Advent! The first 3 weeks of Advent are all 1 week long, in the 4th week of Advent we see the scripture from 2 Peter 3:8 a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day. The fourth week of Advent this year ends Tuesday evening with Christmas Eve Mass, some years when Christmas is on Monday week 4 lasts 24 hours or when Christmas is on Sunday week four lasts a whole week and of course everything in between!
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.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“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.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home. Mt. 1:18-24 (4th Sunday of Advent Gospel)
