25.) December 23, 2020 Joseph Matt 1: 19-24
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 be with child 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, though the hero of Matthew’s Gospel’s infancy narrative, never speaks a single word)
My hopes were crushed. How could she do such a thing! But hers was not the face of a wanton woman—hers was the face of an innocent maid. She looked imploringly into my eyes as hers filled with tears. I shook my head, needing time to think. Maybe we would divorce quietly. With a heavy heart I went to bed, but in the morning I had my answer. The dream was so clear! She IS an innocent maid who soon will be a mother! God chose her! I am going to be the father of God’s son! I just hope the baby looks like me!
Thought: Do I trust even when the news is not what I want to hear?