In this age of reality television, idols, stars, viral YouTube videos, friends and followers, the need to have one’s fifteen minutes of fame seems to be more urgent than ever. “Look at me, look at me.” Good or bad, embarrassing or uplifting, just getting noticed seems to be worth any price – integrity, honesty, loyalty, mercy.
Today’s Gospel lesson is an interesting counterpoint to this perspective. Here’s Joseph, engaged to Mary, and he finds out she is pregnant, but not by him. What does he do? Well, first let’s think about what he doesn’t do. He doesn’t ask why. “Oh, poor me. Why, God, why did this happen? Why me?” He doesn’t get mad. “How dare she! I don’t deserve this.” He doesn’t demand answers or retribution. “Who did this to you? I’ll make him pay.”
No, instead Joseph seems to carefully consider the situation, knowing full well what the law allows (Deut. 22) – up to the point of having Mary brought to the gate of town and stoned to death – and decides to spare Mary, to quietly end this unfortunate chapter and move on. That is grace in action, costly grace that requires Joseph to abandon his legal rights, his manly ego, his human craving for justice, and to let go of an-eye-for-an-eye ideology.
Then, with this decision made, Joseph gets a visit from an angel of the Lord. The angel declares what God wants Joseph to do. Don’t leave Mary. Be her husband. Be the child’s father. “When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.” Decision reversed, again no questions asked, because God commanded it. This won’t be Joseph’s last visit from an angel. A little later, the angel appears warning Joseph to flee from Herod. So Joseph got up and went to Egypt. Herod dies and the angel returns with another message. So Joseph got up and went to Israel. Is there any wonder God chose this righteous man to be the earthly father of Jesus? His silent obedience rings loudly through the years. He is a man of faith in action.
As we stand here at the close of Advent, we greet Joseph, one of the four human parents at the center of this amazing story. Zechariah and Elizabeth welcomed John. Joseph and Mary received the baby Jesus. On Christmas Eve, it is our turn to be parents – nurturers, protectors, and defenders of Divine Love born this night in a humble manger. It is our calling, our joy, and our greatest blessing to welcome this Child. Let us pray then for the silence of Zechariah as we wait in awe for what God is about to do. Let us pray for the discernment of Elizabeth as we recognize the coming of our Lord into the world. May we like Mary bear God’s Good News with rejoicing in our hearts. May we like Joseph faithfully move into action to do the will of God. As all creation groans in labor pains, waiting for the new birth, may we be the ones to bring forth hope and peace because of the promise fulfilled when God became flesh and bone and dwelt among us.
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