Gospel Reflections for December 22 2019
Mary is in trouble…
The Gospel indicates she is seriously close to losing her life. She knows it …and Joseph does too.
Archaeologists affirm that in the ancient world the most important thing of all was the public honor and prosperity of your family. You would ensure your family would continue and prosper by passing on whatever family assets you had to your own 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 in this ancient world could be death. That is how important this issue was. 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 your salvation, to a halt! She is in serious trouble!
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 their relatives in Bethlehem had this knowledge. For all they knew, this was a child of unknown origin, the worst possible case for any ancient family at that time.
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 your 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 your life today with that same cooperation. God will do His part, and you must do yours.
Advent is a gift of reflective and thoughtful time every year to reflect on your own character. How are you like or not like Joseph and Mary? Where do you show courage now? In what areas of your life can you show it more? Your behavior just might make a Christmas birth of Jesus happen in your life today!
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Dear Father Dave!!! Beautiful reflection!!!We must beautifully prepare our hearts with sooooooooooooooooooooooooo much love so that our Jesus of love can live beautifully in us!!! Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it!!! Dick and I will prepare our hearts to loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee forever for our Jesus to live in us!!! Merry Christmas Father Dave and you make the world so beautiful by your living Jesus’ precious loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
Loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Franca and Dick
I found readings at Daily Mass are wonderful during Advent. The story from Judges concerning the birth of Samson was fascinating. The seasons of the Liturgical Calendar and learning from these words uttered Centuries before
Filled with Wisdom and enlightenment continue to lead us to Eternal Light.
Thanks for What you do and continue to be. Tom Joyce
Your practice of the daily mass readings is the very best daily practice to have. They are just the right guide each day.
Faith is such a gift! Joseph had doubts just like many of us would have concerning the pregnancy of Mary. But an Angel (The Holy Spirit?) came to him and gave him the faith to do God’s will rather than to remain with his worldly worries. Lord, send down your Spirit!
Thank you Fr. Dave!
Veni Sancte Spiritus
VSS
Dear Father Dave,
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus this year and the messages of love He brought with him, I see in my mind’s eye His protection blanket of peace in the face of that ancient thing called chaos. Can we not just touch a little corner of His woven strength and feel His presence?
God’s blessings, always.
Kathleen A.
Just a touch of His presence in our life will guide in just the right way, and every day.
“Great questions for reflection, Fr. Dave!
Of all the gifts received at Christmas there is only one that lasts forever…the Father’s
gift of His Son to us
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a New Year of good health and happiness.
Thanks you!
Hello Fr. Dave, For many wonderful years it was a time honored tradition to display the beautiful Nativity Creche brought to the parish from Italy by Monsignor Joe and then continued each year when you were pastor. Now, this mint condition beautiful Nativity Creche will be displayed no more as the now pastor found something big, bold and new. Another time honored tradition gone like the 6:30 AM Mass, the 9 PM confessions, the many healing masses from guest priests around the world, the quarterly masses for the sick and elderly, the Phillip Courses and so much more. I reflect on this holy time of year all the traditions that a parish held for many many years that you always honored!! Times have changed! A most Merry Christmas to you are your blessed parish!
Thank you for sharing your feelings about the changes. The statues are meant to draw our attention to Our Lord, and fortunately, we have so many other ways that we can meet Him, and, of course, most especially at Mass.
This indeed is a joyous Christmas message….many thanks.
Dee
You are very welcome!