Today’s gospel is a revelation of the mystery of the incarnation. The readings point to the fact that the nativity is a mystery beyond human comprehension. The prophesy – the virgin shall conceive and bear a son – was given by the Prophet Isaiah. But today the readings emphasize the difficulty in comprehension even for the righteous. Joseph and Mary, though righteous in the sight of God, were unable to comprehend the mystery of ‘conception by the Holy Spirit’. It took the intervention of the angel of the Lord for Joseph to take Mary home as his wife. According to Paul, this mystery calls us to the obedience of faith. The obedience of faith is what will connect us to EMMANUEL, the God that is with us! (Fr. Anthony Ekpunobi)