On this first day of the year, the Church invites us to begin anew under the loving gaze of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. The Gospel (Luke 2:16–21) tells us that the shepherds “went in haste” to Bethlehem, where they found Mary and Joseph, and the Infant lying in the manger. They were simple people, yet they were the first to witness the glory of God made visible in the child Jesus. And Mary, the Gospel says, “kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.”
“See, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:5)
As we welcome the dawn of 2026, we bow before the Lord in gratitude for the year that has passed—its joys and struggles, its blessings and challenges. Every new year is a gift of grace, a renewed invitation from God to begin again with faith, hope, and love.
In today’s Gospel, we see Joseph once again listening to the voice of God in a dream: “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt.” This command, urgent and unsettling, changes the course of the Holy Family’s life. They become refugees, seeking safety in a foreign land. Yet, through Joseph’s prompt obedience and Mary’s silent trust, the will of God unfolds even amid danger and uncertainty.
Once again, we stand before the manger in Bethlehem and gaze upon the mystery of God made flesh. The Gospel of Luke tells us how, in the silence of the night, heaven touched the earth. A child was born, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. To the eyes of the world, it was an ordinary birth, unnoticed and poor. Yet for those who believe, it is the dawn of salvation and the beginning of a new creation.
The Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Advent centers on Joseph, the quiet and obedient man whom God chose to play a vital role in the mystery of salvation. While other Advent readings focus on Mary’s “yes” to God, today we are invited to contemplate the silent “yes” of Joseph — a “yes” that required deep faith, courage, and humility.
SCJ Philippines Region 