Fourth Sunday of Advent. Year A.

You might never have thought about this, but Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a pregnant, unwed teenager. The man she was to marry knew that he was not the father of her child. It is an astonishing story – astonishing because it happened and because Joseph came to believe it.

How would most of your male friends respond in this situation? What would most of your female friends say if they heard Mary’s story about the Holy Spirit?

What is the most astonishing story anyone ever told you? Did you believe them? Why or why not? Do you have a friend who is so close to you that you would believe anything he or she told you – even a story as astonishing as Mary’s? Joseph did not believe Mary at first. A message from a dream helped him believe. Dreams can be powerful.

Do you remember your dreams? Do you dream in colour? Have you ever tried to keep a notebook by your bed and write a dream journal? Have you ever had a dream that calmed you and helped you make a decision or deal with a difficult situation? Have your dreams ever affected the way you felt when you woke up?