Advent 2025

This Advent season we are spending time in Matthew’s gospel. While the most memorable Christmas stories are in Luke, Matthew adds important details to the season. Our Advent theme this year comes from the Gospel passage for the 4th Sunday: “You shall call his name Emmanuel, which means, God with us.'” This verse is familiar to us- perhaps too familiar. We might imagine someone hearing this for the first time and expressing confusion, “I thought his name was Jesus.”

Renaming has a long history in the Bible- Abram became Abraham, Sarai became Sarah, Jacob become Israel, Simon became Peter. And some Christian traditions include a renaming at baptism. Names can bestow meaning and identity. Yes, his name is Jesus, but he is also Emmanuel. That God is with us is perhaps the most important message of Christmas. We can say that God made us, God loves us, God teaches us, God even judges us. But nothing comes close to the beautiful image of God with us. With-ness speaks to love and care, solidarity, unity and shared experience.

In this season, let’s reflect on what it means that God is with us. And may that in turn lead us to being with one another.

Blessed Advent!
Scott