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Looking More Closely at the Word
Fourth Sunday of Advent A
December 22, 2019
Working with the Word

Study of the Readings
ed. by
Joyce Ann Zimmerman,
et al


• Words,     Phrases
To the point
• First Two     Readings
• Experience

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Let the Scriptures Speak

Dennis
Hamm, SJ

Joseph's Dream

Here is a good Jewish man engaged to be married, and he learns that his bride has become pregnant before they have come together.

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The Word Embodied

John Kavanaugh, SJ

Joseph

Even if we assume that Joseph was happy with the prospect of being a foster father to this future savior of his people, things did not work out very well. In fact, just about everything was botched up.

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Historical Cultural Context

John J. Pilch

Jesus and John

Given the very nosey nature of Mediterranean village life, the separation of men from women, and the fact that the betrothed couple were not yet living together, Joseph may have been among the last to learn of Mary’s pregnancy.

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Thoughts from the Early Church

Bede

Mary gave birth to her firstborn son, the child of her own flesh and blood. She brought forth the God who had been born of God before creation began.

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Scripture In Depth

Reginald H. Fuller

It is remarkable that both Matthew and Luke, whose infancy stories are in most aspects poles apart from one another, agree that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit.

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