Gospel Reflections for December 18 2016
Mary is in trouble…
The Gospel indicates she is seriously close to losing her life. She knows it …and Joseph does too.
The Angel Gabriel made it clear to Mary how her child would be conceived, and the Angel in today’s Gospel assured Joseph that all was well, but no one in their hometown of Nazareth, or any relatives in Bethlehem had this knowledge. For all they knew, this was a child of unknown origin, the worst possible case for any family.
Archaeologists affirm that in the ancient world the most important thing of all was the public honor and prosperity of your family. To ensure your family would continue and prosper you passed on whatever assets your family had to your children. Therefore, you had to be certain that everyone knew the exact origin of every child. No one wanted to pass on the family farm to someone else’s kid! That would be a fatal public disgrace.
The penalty for Mary bearing a child of uncertain origin was death. At the very beginning of the Christmas events that would lead to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, Mary is facing death, which would have brought everything, and our salvation, to a halt! She is in serious trouble!
This is where the character of Joseph came to the rescue. Most likely, as the Church affirms, Joseph had been married before, had fathered several children, but had become a widower. Now he is an older and much respected person in Nazareth. It was his honorable character that enabled him to hold off harm to Mary. He found the courage to do so because of the Angel’s message.
That message also reveals that both the actions of God and our own character count. The Christmas events that we too often take for granted only continued by the dual action of the Holy Spirit and the honorable actions of people like Joseph and Mary.
Christmas will happen in our life today with that same cooperation. God will do His part, and we must do ours. Advent is a time of year to reflect on our own character. How are we like or not like Joseph and Mary? Where do we show courage now? Can I be more courageous? In what areas of my life can I show it more? Our behavior just might make Christmas, the arrival of Jesus, happen more often!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Father Dave, Our Faith is such an incredibly, beautiful amazing Faith of love and joy!!!I As a mother I can only imagine the immense love, beauty and responsiblity to be the Mother of Jesus!! God’s own precious Son!!! The beauty and loveis fabulous but the responsiblity immense!!!! and the way it occured , a miracle of love!!! God knew our Mary would be a beautiful, precious, loving mother and He chose a beautiful husband in Joseph to love, accept, take care and be her defender forever!!! We have to be like our Mother Mary and have Jesus be born in us and live His loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee in our world!!! A beautiful, precious Christmas to you Father Dave!!!
Loveeeeee your reflections and loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee you!!!
Loveeeeeeee, franca and Dick
Yes, we should have Christmas every day!
Fr. Dave,
Joyful advent greetings and warm Christmas wishes. Simply wanted to acknowledge and thank you for your weekly Reflection – always insightful and spiritually growth full.
Deus Lo Vult
You are very welcome. Deus Lo Vult!
Hi Fr. Dave:
I always enjoy and gain much from your insightful writings. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Seasons best,
Argyle
You are very welcome! I am glad you like these writings. I certainly enjoy writing them.
Just as Joseph came to the rescue, we have plenty of Josephs in our lives and we are not always paying attention. I remember my beloved sister praying over her disabled car
hoping for a miracle. My father “miraculously” fixed it, but reprimanded her. “Marilyn, you have to put oil in it.” Yes, God cooperates with us, but we have to oil it. God needs us just as much as we need Him to bring fulfillment of His promise. Joseph said “yes” as well as Mary said “yes”. God Bless you, Father Dave. For saying “yes”.
Excellent example about the car. I like it, and may use it one day!
Be my guest .. true story!
Merry Christmas
Love, Sharon & Pete
This reading always makes me think. What would I have done? She knew that she would be putting her life on the line and at the same time must have a tremendous faith for someone her age in God and that He would take care of her. I think about those in other countries who the Muslims are killing for their faith and how they also know that in the end God wins and their life is in their hands. Joseph also had a deep relationship with God to receive and trust in God.
Where in our his history as I am sure it is about Joseph having previous children. Are there books in the archive on that subject? I have always looked at it as we are all brothers and sisters in the Lord and have heard that Joseph might have been married but also heard he was of the group that was sworn to celebacy and so was Mary…. (good luck on this one)
Yes, Pope Benedict prefers this idea about Joseph but knows we can never know for sure.
Wonderful reminder that forgiveness is as much a part of the advent story, as is joy and celebration. BTW, I did not realize Joseph was older, a father, a widower, etc. Never heard that before and he seems to always be depicted as a fairly young man. Always something new to learn. Merry Christmas!
Yes, it is a reasonable speculation that is still in accord with our faith, and that Pope Benedict wrote about in his massive three volume work on Jesus. I think it also fits the archaeological picture as well.
We need courage in today’s world to deal with the onslaughts that surrounds. us.
But Jesus tells us “not to fear” that He will be with us wherever we go.
A blessed Christmas Fr. Dave, and a New Year of your wonderful reflections
Thank you for your love and caring!.
Merry Christmas!