The Gospel of Matthew 1:18-25
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
Let us Pray: Teach us to love, O Lord. May we always remember to put you first as we follow Christ’s footsteps, that we may know your love and show it in our lives. As we prepare for our celebration of Jesus’ birth, also fill our hearts with love for the world, that all may know your love and the one whom you have sent, your son, our Savior. Amen.
In addition to the grace of God, the world has been held together by the efforts and faithfulness of unsung heroes. One of the unsung heroes of the Bible is Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. He appears only in the nativity stories of Matthew and Luke. In most Christmas pageants and in most artistic representations of the nativity, we see Joseph standing in the background if he is there at all. If there is a fifth wheel to the Christmas story as it is often told and presented, that fifth wheel is Joseph. And the Scriptures themselves have helped foster this perception. In the accounts of the nativity in Matthew and Luke, not a single word of Joseph is recorded. Mary sings, speaks and prays. Angels announce tidings of great joy and offer celestial praise. Shepherds wonder out loud over the significance of the appearance of God’s messengers to them from glory. The Magi asks regarding the birthplace of the King of the universe. But not a single word about or from Joseph. But Joseph may have been one whose obedience, faithfulness, and integrity spoke for him. So we can see Joseph was one of those living sermons for whom speech was unnecessary. When Mary finally told Joseph that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit how do you think Joseph initially reacted? What did he think of Mary? Did he naturally think that she had been unfaithful to him? What were the emotions he experienced: shock, anger, disbelief? What was he to do? It is hard to disagree with Joseph’s initial reaction to not marrying Mary because he was not the child’s father. Imagine how powerful his mystical experience must have been to calm his doubts and fear, leading Joseph to love Mary and share Jesus as both his and God’s son. Like Joseph, if you are a loving father of a child that is not yours, as faith-filled people, we are grateful for your righteousness, grace, and trust in the Lord. Our prayers today need to be for the many children who do not have a father or father figure in their lives. “He will need a father like you to teach him to take risks like the one you are about to take, for he will be tempted not to take them. How do we react when we are confronted with circumstances that throw us off balance or situations that confound or frighten us? Do we continue to trust in God? Or do we walk away from God angry or despairing? Regardless of how we react, our “God who is with us” never leaves our side. Our loving God is with us every moment (even if we don’t “feel” God’s presence). Just as God was with Joseph and Mary in this strange, difficult, and confusing time, God also walks with us. And God graces and gifts us with the strength we need! The question is: will we continue to believe and trust in our loving God? During this final week of Advent as we approach the celebration of Christmas, take a few minutes for yourself, find a quiet place, and sit in the presence of God’s love.
Let us Pray: Lord – may this Christmas season be for us and for those around us a season of healing, may it be a season of hope, peace and of love and of joy, may it be a time of true sharing and of rejoicing in all the earth. This we pray in your name. Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Reflections by Bob 