December 18/Third Friday of Advent
When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. ~ Matthew 1:18-19
Last March, as college students prepared to enjoy the spring semester, professionals looked forward to attending conferences (or taking vacations), and all of us eagerly anticipated March Madness, we were suddenly brought up short by the spread of the virus. It was — and is — confusing and soul-dampening when our plans for the future are thwarted. So it was for Joseph, whose expectations of marriage to a young village woman were shattered when she told him of her unexpected pregnancy. Joseph did what most of us do when plans go awry: he took matters into his own hands, and determined to sever the marriage contract, as was his right by Jewish law. But God had a different plan, for he had assigned Joseph a pivotal role in the drama of salvation. Informed of this by a mysterious night messenger, Joseph neither questions nor resists; rather, he abandons himself to “the divine unpredictability,” to quote the martyred German Jesuit, Alfred Delp. Sometimes — often — our plans go astray. We lose our job to a rival or a restructuring, our health to an unexpected or protracted illness. A child encounters difficulty in school. Someone we love cannot break the bond of addiction. Our default position at such times is to take matters into our own hands, like Joseph. Just as God intervened to redirect Joseph’s path, so God operates in our lives, too, leading us in directions we do not always understand, and asking us to have faith in his guiding hand. When our soul encounters a dark night, we need to listen carefully and deeply to God’s message, put our fears aside, and trust, trust, trust.
Lord of Love, Lighten the darkness that surrounds me with the luminous power of your kindness and mercy, and help me to trust in you at all times. Amen.
For today’s readings, click here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/121820.cfm
To hear the Westminster Choir sing “Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine,” click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umR0CbgiNzE
