IV Sunday of Advent
- St. Peter Canisius priest S.J. and Doctor of the Church (1521-1597)
- Bl. Peter Friedhofen chimney sweep, founder (1819-1860)
- Saint of the day
First Reading
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son.
From the book of the prophet Isaiah
Is 7:10-14
In those days, the Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the netherworld, or high as the sky.”
But Ahaz answered: “I will not ask! I will not tempt the Lord!”
Then Isaiah said: “Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary men, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.”
The Word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
From Ps 24
R. Behold, the Lord comes, the king of glory.
The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness:
the world, with those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers. R.
Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain. R.
He shall receive a blessing from the Lord,
justice from God his savior.
Such is the generation that seeks him,
that seeks your face, O God of Jacob. R.
Second Reading
Jesus Christ, descended from David, Son of God.
From the letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Romans
Rom 1:1-7
Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, the gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh, but established as Son of God in power according to the spirit of holiness through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles, among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ; to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Word of the Lord.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son:
and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” (Mt 1:23)
Alleluia.
Gospel of the day – December 21, 2025
Jesus will be born of Mary, the betrothed of Joseph, of the lineage of David.
From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 1:18-24
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.
The Gospel of the Lord.
The Creed is said.
Benedict XVI
Pope from 2005 to 2013
ANGELUS, IV Sunday of Advent, 18 December 2005 (© copyright L’Osservatore Romano)
Saint Joseph, a model of listening
The silence of Saint Joseph is a silence permeated by the contemplation of the mystery of God, in an attitude of total availability to the divine will. In other words, the silence of Saint Joseph does not manifest an inner emptiness, but, on the contrary, the fullness of faith that he carries in his heart, and which guides his every thought and every action. A silence through which Joseph, in unison with Mary, guards the Word of God, known through the Sacred Scriptures, continuously comparing it with the events of Jesus’ life; a silence woven with constant prayer, prayer of blessing to the Lord, of adoration of His holy will, and of unreserved entrustment to His providence. Let us let ourselves be “infected” by the silence of Saint Joseph! We need it so much in a world that is often too noisy, which does not favor recollection and listening to the voice of God. In this time of preparation for Christmas, let us cultivate inner recollection to welcome and guard Jesus in our lives.
THE WORDS OF THE POPES
The Gospel says that Joseph was “just” precisely because he was submissive to the law like every pious Israelite man. But within him, his love for Mary and the trust he has in her suggest a way that saves the observance of the law and the honor of his bride: he decides to give her the act of divorce in secret, without clamor, without subjecting her to public humiliation. He chooses the path of confidentiality, without trial or retaliation. But what holiness in Joseph! (…) The voice of God intervenes in Joseph’s discernment, revealing through a dream a meaning greater than his own justice. And how important it is for each of us to cultivate a just life and at the same time always feel in need of God’s help! To be able to broaden our horizons and consider the circumstances of life from a different, broader point of view. (…) And the risk Joseph takes gives us this lesson: he takes life as it comes. Has God intervened there? I take it. And Joseph did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. (Pope Francis – General Audience, December 1, 2021)
