Christmas Eve: Gospel, Matthew 1:18-25                       

Matthew 1:18-25

I look forward to meeting the earthly guardian of Mary and Jesus. What a man he must have been. No doubt Mary was lovely in the deepest and most important of ways. But sometimes Joseph is left in the shadows. And I wonder if that wasn’t just fine with him. He loved his “son” and His momma, and there is not a doubt in my mind that Joseph loved Jesus as his own. I’m not going to write a long meditation today. I would rather you read the gospel text and ponder and pray. 

Might we look in on just one aspect of the gospel for the week?

“ …an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”

Matthew 1:20

I cannot begin to imagine how stunned Joseph must have been. And I think the messenger is secondary to the message: “Joseph, sweet Mary’s little one is fathered by Another. By Mary’s God. And yours. He’s a gift for you both and for so many more. Thank you in advance for taking such good care of them. And don’t forget, I am with you.”

That’s how I think Joseph, after initial shock, would have taken the message. Joseph loved God, and God loved Joseph. And God simply showed Joseph how much.

Blessed Christmas!