Joseph’s Faithful Surrender: Embracing Divine Providence in Uncertainty

The Evangelist highlights that alone, Joseph cannot explain to himself the event which he sees taking place before his eyes, namely, Mary’s pregnancy. Just then, in that moment of doubt, even anguish, God approaches him — him too — through his messenger and [Joseph] is enlightened about the nature of this maternity: “the child conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit” (cf. v. 20). Thus, in facing this extraordinary event, which surely gave rise to many questions in his heart, he trusts totally in God who has drawn near to him, and after his invitation, does not repudiate his betrothed, but takes her to him and takes Mary to wife. In accepting Mary, Joseph knowingly and lovingly receives Him who has been conceived in her through the wondrous work of God, for whom nothing is impossible. Joseph, a just and humble man (cf. v. 19), teaches us to always trust in God, who draws near to us: when God approaches us, we must entrust ourselves to him. Joseph teaches us to allow ourselves to be guided by Him with willing obedience. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 18 December 2016)

SOURCE: Word of the Day (Vatican News)

Joseph’s Dream: Acceptance, Protection, and the Naming of Jesus

Today’s Gospel focuses on the story of the Virgin Birth, which is at the heart of our Christmas celebrations.   It focuses also on the person and role of St. Joseph.  In today’s Gospel, Matthew sees in the passage from Isaiah one of the most descriptive and definite prophecies foretelling that the future Messianic King, Christ, will be born as a descendant of David.  In order for Jesus to fulfill this promise, Joseph had to, and willingly did, accept Jesus as his son, making Jesus a descendant of David because Joseph was a descendant of David.  Matthew makes it clear that Jesus was not the biological child of Joseph.  But because Joseph was the husband of Mary at the time Jesus was born, Jesus was legally the son of Joseph and, thus, a descendant of David in his royal line.  Luke tells us of Mary’s obedience (Lk 1:38), and Matthew shows us Joseph’s obedience.  Luke tells the story of the angel’s appearance to Mary (Lk 1:26-38), but Matthew tells us only that the child was from the Holy Spirit.  

This is the first of four* occasions on which an angel appears to Joseph in a dream.  The angel commands Joseph to take Mary as his wife.  Mary’s role is to bear a son, and Joseph’s role is to name him.  By naming him, Joseph makes Jesus his son and brings him into the House of David.  Joseph’s hallmark is obedience — prompt, simple, unspectacular obedience.  Joseph’s obedience allows Jesus to be adopted as a true Son of David; it is Mary’s free consent to the will of God that allows Jesus to be born Son of God.  In the end, Joseph takes Mary as his wife, in spite of his fears, and he claims her son as his own by naming him.  In spite of his earlier decision to divorce this woman quietly, Joseph nurtured and protected and watched over and loved both Mary and her child.  *[The other three angelic vision-encounters are:  2) the message to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt and stay there, until 3) the angel comes to tell them to come home again, and then 4) to settle in Galilee instead of Bethlehem or Jerusalem.]

Life Message

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Like Joseph, we need to trust in God, listen to Him and be faithful. Like Joseph and Mary, we are called to be faithful, to trust in God as we do His will. Let us talk to Him and listen to Him speaking through the Bible. 

SOURCE: Fr. Tony’s Homilies

She is to have a son, and you are to name him Jesus because he will save his people from their sins”

(v 21)

Luke’s nativity narration was told from Mary’s perspective, whereas Matthew’s point of view was Joseph, to whom she was betrothed. Betrothal was a solemn commitment that lasted a full year and could only be terminated by divorce. Joseph was a righteous man who faithfully observed the Mosaic law, but when he discovered that Mary was with child, he was unwilling to publicly charge her with adultery as the penalty was death (Dt 22:20-24). In a dream, Joseph was told not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife because the child had been conceived through the Holy Spirit. With the Spirit’s guidance, there was nothing to fear. Joseph was instructed to name the child “Jesus” (Hebrew, Yeshua), meaning “Yahweh saves.” In Jesus, God saves the people from their sins. Through Joseph’s family line, Jesus would bear the royal title “Son of David.” Jesus was also “Emmanuel” (“God is with us,” Matt 1:23; Is 7:14), the incarnate “Son of God” who would dwell among the people for eternity.

REFLECTING: Do I seek the Spirit’s guidance when I have difficult decisions to make?
PRAYING: St. Joseph, help me to follow your example of humble obedience.​

SOURCE: Together with God’s Word