Dec18 Written by:Graydog
18/12/2004
Sunday, December 19
2004
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Matthew 1: 18-24
The Annunciation is usually associated with Luke's Gospel and the angel Gabriel coming to Mary. Well, today, we get the Annunciation through the eyes of Matthew, and all that was going on from Joseph's end of the stick. The controversy of Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man, begins here in a big way. Joseph's betrothed was pregnant, and he didn't have anything to do with it. According to Jewish law, he could have her stoned for adultery. He didn't. Instead, he was going to divorce her quietly, "since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame." And then he has this dream in which the angel speaks to him and tells him what's up, and he believes it and acts on it with no hesitation, doing "as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and" taking "his wife into his home." I reckon that it would be good to follow Joseph's example. First, he was charitable toward Mary, even before the angel came. He was more concerned with her well-being than getting even or getting revenge or being hateful. It must have been a painful thing to hear when he found out she was pregnant, but he was still large enough to look to her good. Second, Joseph was in touch with God. He must have had a rather active prayer life, as he knew God's message as God's voice immediately, even in a dream. What the world could use is more men and women of charity and prayer. What the world could use is myself being more charitable and more prayerful. If I myself could act more charitably, and respond more wholeheartedly to God's promptings in my life, the world around me would be the better for it. When Joseph did those things, the world changed for the better forever. May we all follow Joseph's example, and strive for bringing in the Kingdom by charity and prayer every day of our lives. Merry Christmas to you all, and blessings on your households and families forever!
Tags: