In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” — Luke 2:1–14

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, as they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as people make merry when dividing spoils. For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, and the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed, as on the day of Midian. For every boot that tramped in battle, every cloak rolled in blood, will be burned as fuel for flames. For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David’s throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this! — Isaiah 9:1–6

Merry Christmas and a happy conclusion to our Advent season to all our readers!

The move from Advent to Christmas means we end a short season of preparation and enter into the celebration of the birth of the Lord. In some sense, this is a shift from the internal to the external, and a purposeful step toward cooperation with the will of God in all phases of our lives, not just within our hearts. Today’s Gospel (in some parishes) gives us the first example of the meaning of that transition — Saint Joseph.

In Matthew 1:18-25, Joseph was troubled by Mary’s pregnancy and its implications for his life in that time and place. His heart remained full of love for Mary, and Joseph hoped to protect her while withdrawing from the situation. But when the will of the Lord was made manifest to Joseph, what did he do?

Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce 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. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

Joseph was himself a “righteous man,” but also a man of his times. In those days, a woman who became pregnant out of wedlock could have been stoned to death, and at the very least cast out of the village for her sins. Even if Joseph himself would have done neither, he knew the perils of Mary’s situation. A quiet divorce may have been the kindest option at hand for Joseph.

Instead, Joseph opened his heart to the Lord, and then acted on His will. Mary had done the same with her Fiat, as I discussed in yesterday’s reflection, but Mary had a special grace granted at her conception to allow her to see this choice clearly. Joseph did not, but he did live in righteousness, as Matthew recounts. Jospeh had formed himself properly for the moment when he needed to discern how to give himself completely over to God and to live by trusting in Him rather than prioritizing his own ambitions.

That is what Advent called us to do: to prepare ourselves, and to form ourselves for this moment. Do we embrace Christ in the womb and in the manger? Or do we walk away and quietly divorce ourselves from Him and from the work of His salvation?

Saint Joseph, pray for us that we follow your example.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

The front-page image is a detail from “The Nativity” by Batholomaus Bruyn the Elder, c. 1520. On display at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, Spain. Via Wikimedia Commons.