HOMILY FOR THE 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT YEAR A
Homily for the 4th Sunday of Advent year A Isaiah 7:10-14; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-24 Today, the Word of God teaches us that God comes to us in various ways that surprise and challenge us. We must be prepared to let go of our desire to control the future, and accept the way of God with humility and courage. In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah spoke to King Ahaz concerning God’s plan for his people during the turbulent time prior to the collapse of Judah and the exile. Ahaz had allied himself with the powerful King of Assyria in order to save his own skin. He had sought to strengthen his power base through astute alliances! It was classic political expediency and opportunism. It was like the kind of politics we often observe, especially at the rise and the fall of a certain powerbroker in recent days. Isaiah, though, went against the grain of survival politics. He was more concerned about fidelity to God’s covenant and integrity with Israel’s heritage, which would hav...