Love & Trust
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
The fourth candle of the Advent Wreath signifies love. We are near to the commemoration of God’s great gift love, Emmanuel, God with us, Jesus Christ. As we approach the celebration of Christmas, God’s word presents us the image of two men in the scriptures.
The first man, King Ahaz, reigned as the King of Judah for 16 years. He was prideful and an evil man. When Isaiah told him to ask God for a sign, to guide Ahaz with crucial decisions, Ahaz refused to ask God’s help. In response to Ahaz’ refusal, Isaiah rebukes him by saying “is it not enough for you to weary people, must you also weary my God?” Ahaz refused to turn to God for guidance and ended up being a disastrous leader for the Kingdom of Judah. The Kingdom of Judah fell into idolatry under Ahaz’ leadership.
The second man portrayed in the scriptures today is Joseph, the husband of Mary. Joseph, a carpenter in Nazareth, from the royal line of David, is presented with the challenging reality that his wife Mary is with child, yet he and Mary had not yet “been together.” So, Joseph knew that the child she was carrying was not biologically his. But Joseph, a good man, decided to not ridicule Mary or make a public spectacle of her, but rather to divorce her quietly.
But then, an angel appears to Joseph and reveals to him that Mary has conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit; this is God’s doing. The angel tells Joseph that Mary’s child will “save his people from their sins.”
Joseph, unlike King Ahaz, places his trust in God and he humbly takes Mary into his home as his wife. Joseph is the opposite of Ahaz and, even though he may not have fully understood the details of what God had in store, he surrendered to God’s will and said “yes” to the divine plan. Joseph becomes the foster father of God’s Son, Jesus. Joseph, a good man, one who trusts God’s word. He serves as a model for all men.
Sincerely yours in Christ Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life,
