This Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Advent We finally have a Gospel that says something about what we have been waiting for...the birth of Jesus. Matthew's Gospel gives Joseph's perspective how he handled everything that was happening to him.
Joseph and Mary are engaged. But before their marriage, Mary's pregnant. Joseph knows he's not the father. Having a child outside marriage in those days wasn't just frowned upon. It was a lot more serious, Joseph, having made a covenant to wed Mary, could have brought charges of adultery against her, for which she could have faced death by stoning. But, Joseph, a 'righteous man', decides instead to quietly break off the engagement before it's too late.
But, then a messenger from God appears to Joseph The messenger tells Joseph the child Mary bears is from the Holy Spirit.The messenger tells him don't be afraid, everything will be OK, just go ahead and marry Mary as planned. This child, the messenger says,is the one who will save the people from their sins. Joseph did as the angel commanded.
We don't hear any arguments he put forward, or if he gave Mary a hard time, or about questions he wanted answered. He wed Mary as promised, she bore a child...and they named him Jesus.
The Advent Wreathe candle we will light on Sunday morning symbolizes love. So where's the love?
Today perhaps we don't find this story shocking at all An unwed mother...she's engaged. The father's unknown...but it's not the fiancee's. The scripts been used in numerous soap opera episodes.
Today the young mother might be encouraged to just take the easy way out...terminate the pregnancy. Not to listen to that little voice inside her ...telling her to take the risk...
to trust in God...to bring that baby into the world.
Joseph seems satisfied is God speaking to him, He knows what he must do. He must risk it.
No doubt he loved Mary already he must risk trusting her and trusting God, even though he felt betrayed and confused. He must risk believing what the visions of his dreams told him - that this baby would be the Messiah. He must risk the ridicule he would face when others would inevitably get wind of what was happening.
For love of Mary? No - he loved Mary, but he would have divorced her if he could. But he couldn't, because of love for God, and God's love for him. God's love seems to make us do the craziest things sometimes. Only with God's love woven through this story does Joseph's behavior make any sense.
That's Joseph's love story.But what is our love story here?
We can admire Joseph - could we have done what he did? But believing that is not so hard for us - we have all the facts, we can look back on the story and see what Jesus became. It requires of us knowledge, faith, understanding - but maybe not love, to see what Joseph couldn't hardly imagine.
But today, Christmas 2010 where's the love? Maybe Christ came in the manger in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. But that was then. This is now. We don't have a manger. We find it hard to identify God's messengers. We're nowhere near Bethlehem. We remember. We look back. But this year - where will Christ be born this year?
As doing research for my homily and the blog post this week I found a song by Collin Raye, that might show you what I'm talking about Maybe you've heard the song before. If you haven't you can listen below. It's called "What if Jesus Came Back Like That."
The songs about talks about the unexpected ways that Jesus may be being born anew in our midst
Maybe a a low-down no-account hobo who sleeps beneath a bridge, who everyone wants to run out of town What if Jesus Came Back Like That? Would we let him in or turn our backs? What if Jesus came back like that?
Or maybe a baby born poised in her mother's womb because of her mother's crack cocaine habit. She couldn't help what her mama used, It's not like she got to choose, now she's laying there all alone.
The nurses say they never saw a smile like that, doctors say she might stand a chance if somebody'd take her home. What if Jesus came back like that, two months early,hooked on crack, Would we let her in or turn our backs? What if Jesus came back like that?
The song goes on Nobody said that life is fair. we all got a cross to bear. When it gets a little hard to care, just think about him hanging there. He came to town on a cold dark night,
a single star his only light, the little baby born that silent night, a manger for a bed.
What if Jesus comes back like that, Will he cry when he sees where our hearts are at, Will he let us in or turn his back, What if Jesus comes back like that?
Can we, like Joseph, be filled with enough love to see Christ no matter where he arrives this year? Do we have enough love to see the Christ that is born in each of us - in you and me, and in the person whose Christmas meal is provided by a food basket? And in the person whose skin is a different color than our own? And in the person whose lifestyle we don't like? And in the person who is a different political party than our own? And in the person richer than we are? And in the person we never get along with?
This year, Christ is dwelling in them, and in you, and in me. Joseph loved enough to open his heart to the possibility that God was working in a strange new way. This Christmas as we hope for Christ, seek the peace of Christ. Let us have joy in Christ and let us love Christ, in all the ways that reveals himself to us.
Deacon Gerry
Joseph and Mary are engaged. But before their marriage, Mary's pregnant. Joseph knows he's not the father. Having a child outside marriage in those days wasn't just frowned upon. It was a lot more serious, Joseph, having made a covenant to wed Mary, could have brought charges of adultery against her, for which she could have faced death by stoning. But, Joseph, a 'righteous man', decides instead to quietly break off the engagement before it's too late.
But, then a messenger from God appears to Joseph The messenger tells Joseph the child Mary bears is from the Holy Spirit.The messenger tells him don't be afraid, everything will be OK, just go ahead and marry Mary as planned. This child, the messenger says,is the one who will save the people from their sins. Joseph did as the angel commanded.
We don't hear any arguments he put forward, or if he gave Mary a hard time, or about questions he wanted answered. He wed Mary as promised, she bore a child...and they named him Jesus.
The Advent Wreathe candle we will light on Sunday morning symbolizes love. So where's the love?
Today perhaps we don't find this story shocking at all An unwed mother...she's engaged. The father's unknown...but it's not the fiancee's. The scripts been used in numerous soap opera episodes.
Today the young mother might be encouraged to just take the easy way out...terminate the pregnancy. Not to listen to that little voice inside her ...telling her to take the risk...
to trust in God...to bring that baby into the world.
Joseph seems satisfied is God speaking to him, He knows what he must do. He must risk it.
No doubt he loved Mary already he must risk trusting her and trusting God, even though he felt betrayed and confused. He must risk believing what the visions of his dreams told him - that this baby would be the Messiah. He must risk the ridicule he would face when others would inevitably get wind of what was happening.
For love of Mary? No - he loved Mary, but he would have divorced her if he could. But he couldn't, because of love for God, and God's love for him. God's love seems to make us do the craziest things sometimes. Only with God's love woven through this story does Joseph's behavior make any sense.
That's Joseph's love story.But what is our love story here?
We can admire Joseph - could we have done what he did? But believing that is not so hard for us - we have all the facts, we can look back on the story and see what Jesus became. It requires of us knowledge, faith, understanding - but maybe not love, to see what Joseph couldn't hardly imagine.
But today, Christmas 2010 where's the love? Maybe Christ came in the manger in Bethlehem 2000 years ago. But that was then. This is now. We don't have a manger. We find it hard to identify God's messengers. We're nowhere near Bethlehem. We remember. We look back. But this year - where will Christ be born this year?
As doing research for my homily and the blog post this week I found a song by Collin Raye, that might show you what I'm talking about Maybe you've heard the song before. If you haven't you can listen below. It's called "What if Jesus Came Back Like That."
The songs about talks about the unexpected ways that Jesus may be being born anew in our midst
Maybe a a low-down no-account hobo who sleeps beneath a bridge, who everyone wants to run out of town What if Jesus Came Back Like That? Would we let him in or turn our backs? What if Jesus came back like that?
Or maybe a baby born poised in her mother's womb because of her mother's crack cocaine habit. She couldn't help what her mama used, It's not like she got to choose, now she's laying there all alone.
The nurses say they never saw a smile like that, doctors say she might stand a chance if somebody'd take her home. What if Jesus came back like that, two months early,hooked on crack, Would we let her in or turn our backs? What if Jesus came back like that?
The song goes on Nobody said that life is fair. we all got a cross to bear. When it gets a little hard to care, just think about him hanging there. He came to town on a cold dark night,
a single star his only light, the little baby born that silent night, a manger for a bed.
What if Jesus comes back like that, Will he cry when he sees where our hearts are at, Will he let us in or turn his back, What if Jesus comes back like that?
Can we, like Joseph, be filled with enough love to see Christ no matter where he arrives this year? Do we have enough love to see the Christ that is born in each of us - in you and me, and in the person whose Christmas meal is provided by a food basket? And in the person whose skin is a different color than our own? And in the person whose lifestyle we don't like? And in the person who is a different political party than our own? And in the person richer than we are? And in the person we never get along with?
This year, Christ is dwelling in them, and in you, and in me. Joseph loved enough to open his heart to the possibility that God was working in a strange new way. This Christmas as we hope for Christ, seek the peace of Christ. Let us have joy in Christ and let us love Christ, in all the ways that reveals himself to us.
Deacon Gerry
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