Saturday, December 20, 2025
Letter from the Editor //
Dear Sister,
“Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory” (Psalm 24: 7c, 10b). Christmas is so close, we can almost feel it, but still we wait on the cusp of hope for the gift of our God coming as a little Baby. On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, Saint Paul writes to us about what God “promised previously through his prophets in the Holy Spirit” which is “the gospel about his Son descended from David according to the flesh, but established as the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness” (Romans 1:3-4). Jesus is both God and Man and entered our world through our Blessed Mother’s yes to God’s request of her. The prophet Isaiah foretold this birth long before it came about writing that “the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
Emmanuel—“God is with us.” In the Gospel, we hear Saint Joseph described as a righteous man, meaning he wants to follow the law of God and to do what is right. He is afraid and uncertain when Mary is found with the Child. How often do we fear God’s will or do not understand His plan for us even when we want to do the right thing? We can relate to Joseph’s uncertainty. Waiting for Christmas, for God to fulfill His plan of salvation for the world, is also a time for us to wait for the fulfillment of His promise to us. God is with us now, just as He was with Mary and Joseph. The words of the Gospel are for us too: “[D]o not be afraid” (Matthew 1:20). Do not be afraid, sister, to do what God is asking of you. He will give you the grace you need.
In Christ’s Love,
Susanna
Read the Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Advent:
First Reading // Isaiah 7:10-14
Psalm // Psalm 24:1-6, 7, 10
Second Reading // Romans 1:1-7
Gospel // Matthew 1:18-24
Live Liturgically // This Week’s Feast Days
Sunday, December 21 // Fourth Sunday of Advent
Wednesday, December 24 // Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent // Christmas Eve
Thursday, December 25 // The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) // Holy Day of Obligation
Friday, December 26 // Feast of Saint Stephen, First Martyr
Susanna Spencer est titulaire d'une maîtrise en théologie de l'Université franciscaine de Steubenville et est l'éditrice théologique de Blessed is She. Elle vit avec son mari philosophe et ses quatre enfants à Saint Paul, Minnesota. Elle aime lire la théologie, assister à de belles liturgies, cuisiner de délicieux plats et suivre le baseball avec désinvolture. Elle était la narratrice de Maranatha, L'histoire de notre Sauveur et de notre livre pour enfants, Rise Up . En savoir plus sur elle ici .
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